RICKY BURNS' world lightweight title defence against Kevin Mitchell is already close to being a 10,000 sell-out – more than two months before the September 22 showdown at the SECC.

There has been an unprecedented demand for tickets for the biggest fight in Scotland for more than 30 years.

Not since Jim Watt's reign as world champion between 1979 and 1981 have fight fans shown so much interest.

Burns' manager, Alex Morrison, has urged the Coatbridge fighter's supporters to move quickly to secure their briefs after revealing that most of his 1,000 allocation have been snapped-up.

Morrison has also hinted at the possibility of an intriguing showdown between comeback stars Scott Harrison and John Simpson, both of whom are managed by the veteran promoter.

Harrison ended a six-and-a-half year exile last month when he returned to the ring for the first time since November 2005.

The 34-year-old stopped Hungarian teenager Gyorgy Mizsei in four rounds at the Kelvin Hall after stepping up to lightweight.

Greenock ace Simpson, meanwhile, scrapped plans to hang up his gloves after also stopping Paul Appleby to claim the Celtic super-featherweight crown.

Morrison said: "It's a fight that would make a lot of sense. Harrison was impressive on his comeback and wee John produced an emphatic display against Appleby.

"Now that John's back with his original trainer, Danny Lee in Greenock he has knuckled down.

"It would be a tough one to call between the two warriors."