Ricky Burns is a trained motor mechanic so he knows a thing or two about bumpy journeys.

A year ago the two-time world champion was declared bankrupt after a messy split with his promoter Frank Warren ended in a legal battle which cost Burns more than £400,000.

And it's four years since a broken jaw at the hands of hard-hitting Mexican Raymundo Beltran threatened to end his career.

Tonight Burns arrives at a fork in the road when he faces European champion Michele di Rocco for the vacant WBO super lightweight crown at the SSE Hydro tonight.

A win could set Burns up for life and give him a place in the history books as one of only a small group of elite boxers to hold belts at three weights.

Lose and the future is much less certain.

Eddie Hearn, the promoter who took over Burns' affairs following the split from Warren, says Burns will join the likes of Joe Calzaghe and Ricky Hatton as the best of the modern-day British if he beats di Rocco for his third world belt.

“I believe a win on Saturday puts him up there,” argues Hearn, who believes Burns has never quite got the credit he deserves, despite holding the WBO super featherweight title in 2010 and the governing body's lightweight belt in 2012.

“Sometimes you need to do something a bit special to get up there when you’ve not quite had the platform. To become a three-weight world champion, you can’t be ignored.

“Winning a world title makes you a legend, winning at two different weights definitely makes you a legend - but to do it at three? Even the haters couldn’t argue with that.”

Burns has never hidden his desire for the game, once claiming he would like to fight 100 times in his career but now he is fighting just to put bread on the table.

Hearn says even with money tighter now, Burns remains as devoted to the sport as he was when he first rocked up at Rab Bannan's gym in Coatbridge at 12 years old and adds that a victory over his Italian opponent this evening would safeguard the Scot’s financial future.

“A win would set him up for life and the aim in boxing is to make as much money as you can,” adds Hearn. “But that is the furthest thing from Ricky’s mind. Honestly.

“Ricky lives in a loft in a house in Brentwood when he’s in camp. He could stay in a very nice hotel but he doesn’t want to. He just wants a bed. He’d live there all his life and just have his gym.

“When you have a guy who lives such a simple life, the purses he will be getting as world champion again will make him very comfortable. But you can talk about money or about legacy.

“Even if he doesn’t win I’d think Scottish sport will always look after him in terms of being one of the greats. If he wins on Saturday he goes to another level.”

Hearn admits he feels Burns has had to carry the burden of Scottish boxing hopes for too long and has urged the new breed of Charlie Flynn, Joe Ham and Josh Taylor to step up.

If tonight proves to be a success – and 8000 are anticipated inside the Hydro – then Hearn has not ruled out the possibility of putting on an all-Scottish card in Glasgow, one that would showcase the best boxers the country has got to offer.

“I feel a bit for Ricky. It seems like every time he is here, Scottish boxing is on his shoulders. We have guys like Charlie Flynn coming through, but they all know they need a headliner for Sky.

“In time it will be them headlining but that’s two years away. I can’t see why not in future. Charlie is a little superstar.”

All that’s left is for Burns to win. His opponent is no mug, though, having suffered just one defeat in his 42 professional bouts. Hearn believes a packed venue will play into the Scot’s hands.

“My dad always told me when the going gets tough, the Italians don’t quite have the heart for it. I don’t know if that’s true but Ricky has got to be on him like a rash. Make the crowd roar every time there’s a punch thrown - and break his heart.”