"If it doesn't happen in March, then it probably will never happen."

The stakes are high as the Andy Lee and Matthew Macklin camps negotiate a fight that will decide who is the greatest Irish middleweight.

There has been much toing and froing over the past few years but as Andy Lee suggested on Off The Ball last night.

It seems like a date and location are in the works with the possibility of a fight in Ireland rather than Stateside and the likelihood is a St Patrick's Day date in the ring.

"Macklin is due to fight in November against Willie Nelson and that should tee up me and him in March," said Lee who wants the fight in front of an Irish audience.

"Personally I would like it to be in Ireland. This is where the fight belongs because we're both from here and the Irish people deserve to see this fight in the flesh and live." 

©INPHO/Presseye/Russell Pritchard