Unbeaten John Duddy will face 'Punching Policeman' Sam Hill on 21 November in New York as he makes his transition into a light middleweight contender.
Duddy steps into the ring for the first time since defeating Charles Howe by unanimous decision in Boston on 28 June when he headlines a New York card against the veteran at the Roseland Ballroom in Manhattan.
Duddy (25-0, 17 KOs) will be fighting at a catchweight 158 pounds as he begins the move under new trainer Pat Burns from middleweight to the light middleweight division.
Duddy faces a fighter with 17 wins, nine defeats and one draw (10 KOs) who has beaten former world champion and Olympic gold medalist David Reid and fought world champions Jermain Taylor and Maselino Masoe.
'I'm glad to get back in the ring,' Duddy said. 'It's going to be a great show. I had a good fight in Boston and I'm really looking forward to fighting again in New York City.
'I can't wait to show my fans there what I've been doing to improve with Pat Burns. This fight will get me one step closer to a world title shot someday.
'Hill comes to fight. He's a crafty pro who knows his job and is very capable. He went the 10-round distance against Jermain Taylor.
'Everybody brings their A game because they want to be the first to beat me. They all raise their game and I'm preparing for Hill's best.'
Duddy, rated number two by the WBO, number four by the WBC and number seven by the IBF, has been training with Burns in Miami and continuing his strength and conditioning work with Burns' brother Joseph.
'Training camp has been great and the sparring is good,' Duddy added.
'I've been sparring with fighters who have a lot of speed and decent power. I've really enjoyed the time I've had with faster guys. I've picked up a lot and it's better than sparring with plodding, heavier guys.'
Duddy's Irish Ropes management team believes a victory over Hill will set up a fight in the new year against Ronald Hearns, the son of former world champion Thomas Hearns, who extended his unbeaten record to 21-0 (17 KOs) on Friday night with a sixth-round TKO over Paul Clavette in Montreal.
