Unbeaten Irish middleweights John Duddy and Andy Lee are being lined up to appear on the same bill (in separate bouts) in New York on 16 March.
Duddy's promoter and manager Eddie McLoughlin said yesterday that both men had been earmarked to appear at the Theatre Club in Madison Square Garden on 'Paddy's Eve'.
New York-based Derry-born Duddy, who has won 18 fights so far, will headline the show which will be part of the Big Apple's curtain raiser for the St Patrick's Day celebrations.
Speaking from Irish Ropes promotions in New York, McLoughlin said 28-year-old Duddy could meet American Mark Vanda at the Garden.
McLoughlin said: 'Vanda has been pencilled in to meet John but that will be contingent on how he (Vanda) does against Tony Bonsante in Minneapolis next week.
'If Vanda does not do well in that fight then we may look elsewhere for an opponent, we will see.'
He added: 'Andy Lee could also appear on the show which would really be exciting as he is a top class boxer who is really capturing the imagination of fight fans here in the States.'
Irish junior middleweight Henry Coyle and the Clancy brothers from Clare are also due to appear on the bill.
Meanwhile, Limerick man Lee will return to training at the Kronk Gym in Detroit on Friday next ahead of his seventh professional fight in Las Vegas on 25 January.
The 22-year-old ex-Irish Olympian won his sixth pro contest after outclassing Denis Sharpe at Madison Square Garden in November last year.
Lee said: 'Last year was a great year for me as I only turned professional in March and everything went according to plan and hopefully next year will be just as good.
'I'm looking forward to my first fight of the year in Las Vegas and if I do fight on the 16 March bill that would be special as there is always a great atmosphere at Madison Square Garden.
'I return to training in Detroit next Friday after a break in Ireland and I'm sure my manager Emanuel Steward will have my work cut out for me over the next few weeks.'
Duddy and Lee set for New York bouts
