BARRY McGUIGAN has endorsed Ricky Burns' decision to return to the ring at lightweight following the Coatbridge fighter's first foray at light-welterweight in Leeds on Saturday night.

While the Scot comprehensively outpointed Alexandre Lepelley of France over eight rounds - knocking his opponent down in the opening round - he was unable to produce the power at the heavier weight category to finish the job within the distance.

Post-fight, the 31-year-old intimated his intention to try to return to lightweight and is now working with a new dietician to help him drop back down to the required weight of 135lb and reclaim the level of performance which brought him two world titles.

McGuigan, the former World Boxing Association featherweight champion, acknowledged yesterday that it is the only way forward for Burns. "If Ricky can make it back down to 135lb I would urge him to put everything into doing that," he said.

"Ricky simply isn't big enough for 140lb. What you have to remember is that by the time guys at light-welterweight get in the ring they are near enough 154lb in some instances and that is just too big for Ricky. In terms of his power translating up to light-welter, Ricky has never been the biggest puncher and moving up 5lb in weight is not going to help that. If, as he said after the Lepelley fight, Ricky believes that he can get back down to lightweight with the aid of his dietician, it is definitely the best option."

The slight paunch around the Burns midriff on Saturday also suggested that he had been too comfortable in making the light-welterweight limit. McGuigan admitted that making weight is often a problem for every fighter at some stage during their career.

"I would like to see Ricky try to do it gradually by maybe taking a fight at 137lb before Christmas, see how that process goes and then, in the New Year, if he feels he can make 135lb comfortably, go for it at lightweight," said the Irishman.

"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 opportunities. "Domestically there are some huge fights out there for Ricky at 135lb. You have the likes of Anthony Crolla, a rematch with Kevin Mitchell and the Olympic gold medallist Luke Campbell all there [as options]," he said.

"If Ricky can come through these guys, then you have Raymundo Beltran fighting Terence Crawford on November 29 and a shot at revenge [for Burns] against the winner of that one could then be down the line. It is going to be all about Ricky's ability to shed the 5lb and how tough that is going to be."