Andy Lee has hailed Ryan Burnett’s upcoming world-title unification Belfast bout as the “biggest fight to ever happen in Ireland”.

A meeting of the Irish Athletic Boxing Association’s (IABA) Board of Directors on Wednesday seems likely to lead to a face-to-face stand-off between the sport’s bickering parties.

In another world, Ryan Burnett might already be a household name in Irish sport had the Belfast native opted against turning professional under Ricky Hatton four years ago at the tender age of 21.