Former bantamweight world champion Ryan Burnett’s journey back to the ring will culminate in a new campaign at super bantamweight next month.
Burnett will return on May 17 on an MTK Global card that will be streamed on ESPN+ from Ulster Hall in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Burnett will now compete at 122 pounds and is already in a title fight against Jelbirt Gomera for the vacant WBC International belt.
The fight will be Burnett’s first since a terrible injury he suffered last November in Scotland during a fight against Nonito Donaire. In the fourth round Burnett threw a right-hand punch and missed it, but Burnett dropped to one knee immediately, favoring his lower right back. Burnett got up after dropping to one knee, but was still injured and Donaire kept punching away at Burnett until the fourth round ended. The fight was stopped soon afterwards with Burnett too hurt to continue.
As a result of that, Donaire became the new WBA “Super” champion at 118 pounds and advanced in the World Boxing Super Series. Donaire will now face WBO champion Zolani Tete in a unification fight in the semifinals on April 27 in Louisiana.
Gomera is a 26-year-old fighter from the Philippines who sports a 14-5 pro record. Gomera once challenged for the OPBF super bantamweight and OPBF Silver featherweight titles and has won just two of his last six fights dating all the way back to 2017.
