THERE was a jaw-dropping revelation for Michele di Rocco as he conducted his press conference for his world super lightweight title fight against Ricky Burns yesterday.

Was it the news that 8000 screaming Glaswegians would be baying for his blood at the SSE Hydro on Saturday night?

“Let’s not worry about that,” replied the Italian nonchalantly. “I’m sure the Glasgow crowd will be loud and passionate. But it’s not the coliseum.”

So what about the 10 world title fights that Burns has under his belt?

“Yes, he is more experienced, I cannot pretend he isn’t. No problem. I’ve come here to Scotland with 42 fights behind me. I’ve fought at European level against very good opposition.”

No it wasn’t that one, either. The moment that really caught the European champion off his guard was the discovery that Mexican Raymundo Beltran broke Burns’s jaw during their drawn 2013 world lightweight title fight in 2013.

“I didn’t know that,” said di Rocco, a big grin spreading across his face. “Now I will try to hit him there,” joked the Italian.

Wisecracks aside, one suspects the European champion will not stand on ceremony if given the invitation by Burns having waited 12 years for his shot at a world title.

“This is my chance, my opportunity to go and make something happen. It is a chance I cannot afford to slip away. This is a fight I have to win - not just for my career but for my life.

“I have waited a long time for a world title belt because some big fights fell through. But, as European champion, your goal is always the world title.

“The aim was always to be European champion for two years, then use that as a way to build up to a world title. Since I won the European title, it has now been three years. So I am ready for this. I feel like I’ve been waiting for it all my life.”

Burns will join Bob Fitzsimmons and Duke Mackenzie as only the third British boxer to win world titles at three weights should he overcome di Rocco when the pair square up for their WBA Super lightweight title fight at the SSE Hydro on Saturday.

Di Rocco, though, is confident that he has the necessary power and big-fight experience to mitigate against Burns’s 10 bouts at this level.

“Yes, of course, I will be bigger. And yes, I expect to be able to stop Ricky because I will have more power. He’s a great fighter but I will be more powerful.

“I think Ricky, because he’s coming from a lighter weight class, has his own problems. I am not worried about the atmosphere, not at all. It’s no problem. You have to remember that I have a lot of international experience as an amateur. I’m used to fighting in front of big crowds away from home, with all of the fans against me.

Backed by a home crowd of 8000 and boasting considerable world title knowhow, Burns has been made the 2/5 favourite by bookies. A more telling indicator might be their respective fates against the former European super lightweight champion Alexandre Lepelley. Burns outpointed the Frenchman, while di Rocco stopped him in a title fight.

Di Rocco played down the comparison. “That doesn’t give us much of a clue because Ricky fought Lepelley in an eight-round fight,” he said. “I fought him for a title. So the motivation was different. But I hope Ricky will go down just like Lepelley did.”