Clones pugilist Kevin McBride believes that he is on the brink of clinching a deal to face WBA heavyweight champion John Ruiz.
McBride shocked the boxing world when he beat Mike Tyson - prompting the former undisputed world champion to retire in June.
Now promoter Don King has made the fighter a concrete offer to face Ruiz.
McBride's advisor Pascal Collins - brother of former WBO super-middleweight champion Steve - has already had talks with promoter King and insists there is a strong possibility the fight will come to Ireland.
"We have the contract from King and all we are waiting on is Ruiz signing up for King," said Collins.
"They are still negotiating but once Ruiz signs up then we'll be sending back the contract for Kevin to fight Ruiz.
"King has already told us and he has put in the contract that the fight will happen either in the last two months of this year or the first two months of next year.
"King has promoted in Ireland before, when he did Ray Close and Chris Eubank and he will go anywhere.
"And I have already spoken to Norman Stone, who is Ruiz's manager and he is happy to come to Ireland.
"The fact is that in business terms it's the best place to have the fight - it would be huge in Ireland."
