Ricky Burns defeats retiring Willie Limond after stoppage

Ricky Burns took control early on in what looks set to be the final fight of his career

Ricky Burns emerged victorious in the battle of the Scottish veterans, forcing Willie Limond to be pulled out at the end of the eighth round.

Burns was in control throughout, drawing blood from Limond's nose early in the fight.

That only grew more problematic for Limond as the fight wore on and the referee had no choice to step in.

Limond announced his retirement from the sport in the aftermath, with Burns hinting at the same.

"I always said I would have loved to get that one final fight in Glasgow," Coatbridge fighter Burns told BBC Scotland.

"I've always said, when I stop boxing, I never ever want to come back. I want to go out on my own terms. If this is to be it, I'm happy.

"Who knows. I've said that's me and I can retire and be happy. But, if that phone goes, it's a decent fight and my missus gives me the green light, it's game on."

Burns, 40, has given Glasgow some raucous fight nights over the years - his 2010 victory over Roman Martinez to capture his first world title stands out.

And, having not fought in his home city since 2017, he was determined to sample that atmosphere one more time before hanging up the gloves.

Limond has shared the ring with some of boxing's biggest names, the likes of Amir Khan and Erik Morales, but at 44 years old and with only two fights in the last six years, it was hard to know how much of a test he would provide for Burns.

A couple of overhand rights from Limond narrowly missed the target in the opening exchanges, but a sharp combination from Burns found its way through as the former three-weight world champion looked to establish a rhythm.

Limond continued to try to be the aggressor, although Burns' work was slicker and, by the end of the second, blood was streaming from his opponent's nose.

A Burns uppercut connected in the fourth and Limond's face was now splattered in blood from an apparent broken nose. That did not deter the underdog, who caught the Lanarkshire fighter on the way in with a good counter right.

Both had dismissed any notion this was merely an exhibition bout, and one look at Limond's face told you everything you needed to know, yet still he came looking for Burns, taking far more than he was dishing out but very occasionally finding a gap.

A crunching Burns uppercut in the sixth snapped Limond's head back and you wondered, with the blood still gushing from his nose, if the corner may step in to bring proceedings to a halt.

Perhaps sensing that, Limond - whose 19-year-old son, Jake, was victorious on the undercard - came out looking for the Hail Mary punch that would turn things around.

Burns was too experienced to allow that to happen. He stepped on the gas and, at the end of round eight, the referee had seen enough, waving the fight off.

Burns got the big Glasgow send-off he craved and, while you may question the wisdom of boxers with a combined age of 84 stepping into the ring, what cannot be disputed is the heart displayed by both fighters.

Asked about his boxing future, Limond revealed: "I'm done. A short answer, finished.

"I've got to pass the baton, I can't keep doing this. But I did enjoy the experience. It was good getting back in about it, it just wasn't good taking all those shots."

Meanwhile, on the undercard, Andy Tham produced an impressive display to capture the Scottish featherweight title with a sixth-round stoppage of Jack Turner.