Ryan Burnett reveals full extent of horror injury

The full extent of Ryan Burnett‘s horror injury has been confirmed.

Burnett [19(9)-1(1)] was forced to retire after the fourth round of his World Boxing Super Series quarter-final versus Nonito Donaire in Glasgow last Saturday.

The Belfast bantam complained of an injury following the third round and went down clutching his back in the fourth after throwing a right hand. He rose and saw out the round but was pulled out by his trainer and conceded his belt to Donaire.

Stretchered out of the ring in extreme pain, Burnett was discharged from a Glasgow hospital that night and underwent scans in Belfast on Monday.

Today it has been confirmed that the Antrim Road 26-year-old tore muscle fibres in his right internal oblique and a portion of the muscle also detached from the bone.

Burnett had previously suffered a bulging disc at the tail-end of his amateur career but this injury, which he apparently carried into the bout in a more minor form, seems to be unrelated.

Thankfully, the injury is not a career-ending one and Burnett’s trainer, Adam Booth, has stated that he expects his fighter to be able to be back in training after two or three months.

In a statement posted by Burnett today, the Irish boxer said:

“Firstly, thank you to everyone for your support and kind messages.”

“I want to thank Nonito Donaire for sharing the ring with me, and for being a man of such great character, and I wish him all the best for the remainder of the WBSS.”

“I am absolutely gutted not to be World Champion. This scenario was totally out of my control, but I understand, injury is the difficult part of sporting life.”

“My assessments have been completed, and diagnosed that I have torn muscle fibres in my right internal oblique, where a portion of the muscle has also detached from the bone where it inserts.”

“This is not a career ending injury, but is one that will require intensive treatment and rehabilitation.”

“I will pick myself up, make myself strong again, and get back to where I believe I belong, as Champion Of The World.”