Ricky Burns vs. Kiryl Relikh: Winner, Scorecard and Reaction

In his first fight since winning the WBA super lightweight championship, Ricky Burns successfully defended his crown with a unanimous-decision win over previously undefeated challenger Kiryl Relikh. 

Score 1	Score 2	Score 3
118-110 (Burns)	116-112 (Burns)	116-112 (Burns)

Fittingly, Burns returned to the SSE Hydro Arena in Glasgow, Scotland, where he won the title four months ago with an eighth-round TKO of Michele di Rocco. 

It wasn't a great overall performance from Burns, who suffered some damage, and the fight was much closer to the 116-112 score two judges gave it than the 118-110 margin from the third. 

However, after the referee raised Burns' hand in victory, the Scot didn't have any complaints with how things turned out. 

"We stuck to the game plan though, stuck to boxing, and I'm pleased with myself that I never got dragged into the fight," Burns said, via Matt Horan of SkySports.com. "I got the win, that's the main thing. And now we're onto the next one."

Burns has been on a roll since Omar Figueroa earned a unanimous-decision win over him in May 2015. Friday's win marks his fourth straight victory, with each of the previous three coming via knockout or TKO. 

It's been an excellent career bounce-back for Burns, who was 1-3-1 in his previous five fights before his winning streak started. 

When his fight with Relikh was announced in August, per ESPN.com's Dan Rafael, Burns spoke of how much winning the super lightweight title meant to him:

"

My face at the end of the fight [against Di Rocco] said everything. It meant so much to me that win and prove I still have so much to give. It was great to be back in Glasgow, and I said before I had to win to get those nights back again, not just for me but for the future of Scottish boxing.

"

With this win now in his rear-view mirror, Burns can turn his attention to setting up the much-anticipated showdown with Adrien Broner possibly by the end of this year. 

Relikh is not a fighter who has been on the big stage much before. He entered this matchup 21-0 with 19 career knockouts but has only fought professionally for five years and was getting his first substantial competition. 

Burns, who is a smart and wily veteran, proved his chops as the better fighter and still among the top 140-pound champions in the world. He's been able to turn his career around going up against lesser competition, so finding a proper challenger for his next match should be his top priority.