Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn has confirmed a Windsor Park showdown for Lewis Crocker next year.
The Northern Irishman is set to defend his IBF welterweight title belt for the first time in Spring, believed to be around April 11.
Crocker created history when he defied to odds to defeat fellow Irishman Paddy Donovan in Belfast in September.
He’s been angling for his next big scalp, although a fight with Conor Benn appears highly unlikely, with the Englishman eager to fight the winner of Ryan Garcia or Mario Barrios for the WBC title.
A Belfast brawl for Lewis Crocker
Hearn confirmed they are locked in conversations with the Northern Irish government to host another outdoor venue.
Around 20,000 people were in attendance to watch Crocker beat Donovan in their second bout at Windsor Park, and Hearn hopes those figures can be replicated.
Speaking to Ring Magazine, he said: “We are working with the government there for another big outdoor event.
“Lewis has done extremely well and he will hopefully have a big homecoming fight as world champion back in Belfast.”
However, he confirmed that Crocker’s wish to fight Benn in the ‘biggest fight in the UK right now” is unlikely to be granted.
“Lewis sometimes feels his name doesn’t get mentioned around Conor Benn, but Conor Benn is just fixated by the WBC world title,” Hearn added.
“He doesn’t really talk about [WBA champion Rolando] Romero or [Devin] Haney – he just wants to win that green and gold [belt].
“The Lewis Crocker fight is still there. I don’t think it will be Conor Benn around that time [spring], but we are looking at a big fight for him, March or April outdoors again at Windsor Park.”
A fight at Windsor Park is only likely to take place with funding from the government.
Crocker’s next opponent
With Benn off the cards for now, Matchroom chiefs will be determining who Crocker will fight next and which opponent will attract a big enough audience to fight at Windsor Park.
A trilogy of fights with Donovan remains an option, with the Limerick fighter aiming for revenge after his disqualification in their first bout in March.
He takes on Liam Paro in Australia in January in an IBF world title eliminator.
Another fight with Donovan is likely to draw a sizeable crowd, but Crocker may also want to test his abilities elsewhere.
A fighter in the top 10 of the rankings, such as Ricardo Salas Rodriguez or Karen Chukhadzian are likely options.
Carl Frampton recently weighed into the debate and suggested Crocker could fight Harlem Eubank because he carries the ‘Eubank’ family name.
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