WBO lightweight champion Ricky Burns has admitted that he will need to 'take a clean shot' in sparring before he will feel confident about his return from a broken jaw.
Burns suffered the injury during his draw with Raymundo Beltran last month, and the Scot has reiterated the need for patience as he begins light training for the first time in five weeks.
The 30-year-old told Sky Sports News: The jaw is getting there, healing the way it should do, I'm in light training but no boxing for another four to five weeks. When I say light training, I mean swimming or cycling, even jogging I need to stay away from.
"There's nerve damage, it's still numb but it's getting there. The surgeons said that my jaw should go back to where it was and hopefully when I start back sparring, all those doubts will be put to rest.
"I will need to take a couple of clean shots to put my mind at ease. But I just need time for it to heal and have another X-ray to make sure that it's all healed."
Should his jaw fully heal, Burns will return to the ring in early 2014.
