FORMER two-weight world champion Ricky Burns is on course to challenge Italian Michele Di Rocco for the vacant WBA super-lightweight title in Glasgow.

The ex-holder of the WBO super-featherweight and lightweight belts will almost certainly face the 33-year-old current European champion at the SSE Hydro Arena in May.

A spokesman for Burns’ promoter, Eddie Hearn confirmed that negotiations are at an advanced stage although he was also careful to stress that there is a potential stumbling block concerning the date of the contest.

He said: “We are very close to doing a deal but we are not quite over the line and reports that the fight will take place on May 21 are incorrect. Not only is that the same weekend as David Haye fights but it is also the date of the Scottish Cup final and we are keen to avoid clashing with the football.

“The preferred date is the 28th but there is a possibility that the venue may have an event on that weekend so it’s a case of fingers crossed meantime. But we are optimistic.”

Burns, who was undefeated as super-featherweight champion, relinquished the lightweight title to American Terence Crawford in March 2014 in his tenth world championship bout.

When he then lost a split decision to Montenegrin Dejan Zlaticanin for the WBC International lightweight title three months later is appeared that the 32-year-old Coatbridge boxer had run his race at the highest level.

But despite also suffering a points defeat to Omar Figueroa in Texas last May, Burns has somehow managed to remain in the frame as a contender following his most recent fight, which resulted in an 11th round stoppage against Australian Josh King for the WBO International lightweight title four months ago.

Di Rocco, nicknamed ‘The King’ – perhaps not altogether surprisingly, given that he comes from Umbria – has built a solid reputation on the back of 40 wins and a single draw from 42 contests. Burns on the other hand has lost five of his 45 bouts.

While Burns relishes the prospect of making history should he become the first Scot to win world titles at three different weights, Edinburgh super-middleweight John McCallum is also keen to impress when he returns to a Scottish ring this evening for the first time for more than three years.

With Highland heavyweight Gary Cornish off the Saltire Promotions bill at Paisley’s Lagoon Leisure Centre due to the Boxing Board of Control’s refusal to sanction his opponent, there is an opportunity for McCallum to steal the show in front of his 87-year-old paternal grandmother Rose Ann.

McCallum, 27, who takes on Lincoln cruiserweight Mitch Mitchell in a six-round contest, revealed: “My grandparents were responsible for getting me involved in boxing and they came to all my fights prior to my granddad passing away two years ago.

“My grandma is my biggest fan but she could not come to my recent fights because of the distances involved. The last time she was present was when I boxed Simone Lucas at Meadowbank in December 2012.”