DeMarcus 'Chop Chop' Corley has replaced Julio Diaz as Paul McCloskey's opponent in Belfast on May 5 - and the winner could land a shot at the WBC light-welterweight title.
Former WBO king Corley steps in to meet 'Dudey' on the King's Hall bill, which will be shown live on Sky Sports, after Diaz raised doubts about his ability to make the 140lbs limit.
Corley won his world title in 2001 with a first-round stoppage of Felix Flores and made two successful defences against Ener Julio and Randall Bailey before dropping a split decision to Zab Judah in July 2003.
The 37-year-old took Floyd Mayweather Jr the distance in 2004 and faced Miguel Cotto the following year for his old title. Corley travelled to England to face Junior Witter for the WBC belt in 2006 and went the distance with Marcos Maidana for the WBA belt in 2010.
He proved he still has plenty to offer as he claimed the NABF light welterweight title against previously-unbeaten New Yorker Gabriel Bracero in the Big Apple in January, and promoter Lou DiBella has predicted a possible route to a shot at the WBC belt through another of his fighters, New York-based Londoner Ajose Olusegun, who is hoping to face current champion Danny Garcia.
"Chop Chop is a former world champion and is coming off a great comeback win against an undefeated fighter," said DiBella.
"He is eager to take a shot at McCloskey. If McCloskey were to defeat DeMarcus though, and after Ajose Olusegun wins the title from Danny Garcia, an Olusegun-McCloskey match-up would certainly be very attractive for all fight fans, particularly those in the UK and Ireland."
McCloskey closes the curtain on Belfast's biggest boxing bill against Corley following the all-Irish Betfair Prizefighter Middleweights and six-round outings for Martin Lindsay and Prizefighter Prospect Jamie Conlan, and the former unbeaten European champion says he's happy to face anyone for a second world title shot after his tilt at Amir Khan ended in disappointment.
"I've always said that I would go through anyone to win a world title and that includes both Ajose and Danny Garcia," said McCloskey. "Corley has been in with the very best in the business and is on a high after beating Bracero so it's a good test for me."
