Thursday 11 June 2015 20:49, UK
Tommy Coyle and Olympic champion Luke Campbell will clash on August 1 at Craven Park in their hometown of Hull with the winner lined up for a shot at the WBC world title.
The lightweight friends-turned-rivals broke the news via social media earlier in the week and Matchroom Boxing have since confirmed that the 'Rumble on the Humber' is on.
The night will also feature former world champion Ricky Burns, undefeated super-featherweight Martin Ward and Brian Rose's attempt to avenge a first-round knockout defeat to super-welterweight rival Carson Jones.
There's no doubting the main event, though, because the winner of Coyle v Campbell could earn a chance to dethrone WBC lightweight king Jorge Linares after the Venezuelan dramatically stopped Kevin Mitchell in the 10th round of a gruelling bout at the O2 Arena last month.
"The stage is set for the one of the biggest sporting events the city of Hull will ever see," said promoter Eddie Hearn.
"Two world-ranked lightweight contenders will battle it out in an official eliminator for the WBC world title – it's east versus west, a city divided with everything on the line.
Two world-ranked lightweight contenders will battle it out in an official eliminator for the WBC world title – it's east versus west, a city divided with everything on the line.
"Fans can expect a huge card with the rematch set for Brian Rose to exact revenge over Carson Jones, two-weight world champion Ricky Burns and undefeated super-featherweight champ Martin Ward defending his title. It's going to be an epic night for the city."
Coyle, 25, has been in some of the most entertaining bouts of recent times.
He has tasted defeated just twice in his career - losing on points to Gary Sykes in a three-round Prizefighter quarter-final and in July 2013 falling short against Liverpool's Derry Mathews when contesting the Commonwealth title.
Trained by Sky Sports pundit Jamie Moore, Coyle has won admirers whenever he has fought and perhaps his most remarkable performance came in February last year, when he hauled himself off the canvas no fewer than four times to stop Daniel Brizuela in the final round.
In his last two bouts, he quickly disposed of former world champion Michael Katsidis and Martin Gethin and although he is expected to hear the opening bell as an underdog, he poses a geniune threat to Campbell's serene progress in the professional ranks.
Coyle said via social media: "Finally at long last it's on... Coyle v Campbell, August 1. Press conference this week."
Campbell, 27, took gold at the 2012 London Games at bantamweight and has made easy work of all 11 of his professional opponents to date - being taken the distance just twice.
The southpaw was a more convincing victor over Brizuela than Coyle had been, stopping the combative Argentinian in the fifth and following that up with third-round stoppages of Levi Morales and Aboubeker Bechelaghem.
Campbell told Sky Sports News HQ: "I’m excited to be a part of history in Hull. This is a one-off fight that this city will probably never see again. It’s two people from the same city fighting for a world-title eliminator and I don’t think that will ever happen again. So that in itself is just major to me.
"I'm getting better each performance and you are going to see Luke Campbell step up again and fight and put a great performance on. This isn’t going 12 rounds, I believe that it is going to be left-right-goodnight!"
Keep up with this evening's press conference on the 'Rumble on the Humber' live on Sky Sports News HQ, from 6pm
