BARRY McGUIGAN today urged Ricky Burns to channel all his energy into a return to the lightweight division.

The Scot experienced mixed fortunes in his first foray at light-welterweight at the First Direct Arena, Leeds, on Saturday night, when he outpointed Frenchman Alexandre Lepelley over eight rounds.

Although Burns dropped the obdurate Frenchman in the opening round he was subsequently unable to produce the power at the higher weight category to finish the job in comprehensive fashion.

Post-fight, Burns admitted that his enrolment of a new dietician has given him hope he can drop back down to 135lbs, in one last bid to reclaim the former glory that brought him two world titles at different weights.

Now ex-WBA featherweight champion McGuigan says it is the only way forward for his fellow former world champion.

"If Ricky can make it back down to 135lbs I would urge him to put everything into doing that," advised the boxing great.

He continued: "Ricky simply isn't big enough for 140lbs. What you have to remember is that by the time guys at light-welterweight get in the ring they are near enough 154lbs in some instances and that is just too big for Ricky.

"In terms of his power translating up to light-welter then Ricky has never been the biggest puncher and moving up five pounds in weight is not going to help that.

"If, as Ricky said after the Lepelley fight, he believes with the aid of his dietician he can get back down to lightweight, then it is definitely the best option."

The slight paunch that was noticeable around Burns' midriff backed up the Coatbridge pugilist's claims while offering surprising evidence that he had been too comfortable in making the light-welterweight limit.

McGuigan admitted the weighting-game is a problem for every fighter at some stage in his career.

"I would like to see Ricky try to do it gradually by maybe taking a fight at 137lbs before Christmas, see how that process goes and then in the New Year, if he feels he can make 135lbs comfortably, go for it at lightweight," suggested the fighter once revered as the Clones Cyclone.

McGuigan continued: "In every boxer's career there comes a stage when he struggles to make his particular weight limit and I was no different. So making the weight is and always will be a major problem for boxers, but if Ricky has the expertise in his camp to do it comfortably and properly over a 12- week period then, in my opinion, he must go for it."

McGUIGAN also has no doubt that a return to lightweight would provide Burns with so many more lucrative options.

He said: "Domestically there are some huge fights out there for Ricky at 135lbs. You have the likes of Anthony Crolla, a re-match with Kevin Mitchell and the Olympic gold medallist Luke Campbell all there.

"If Ricky can come through these guys then you have Raymundo Beltran fighting Terence Crawford on November 29 and a shot at revenge against the winner of that one could then be down the line.

"But it is going to be all about Ricky's ability to shed the five pounds and how tough that is going to be."