Rising Australian Jeff Horn's path to a world title fight will become a little clearer when the venue for his next bout is unveiled on Tuesday.
The undefeated welterweight (15-0-1), currently ranked No.2 in the IBF world rankings, is set to face South African Ali Funeka on December 10.
The clash will take place on the undercard of Kiwi Joseph Parker's WBO heavyweight title fight against American Andy Ruiz and promoters Duco Events will confirm the host city and venue at a press conference on Tuesday in Auckland.
Funeka is a former IBO welterweight champion with a 39-5-3 career record, including 31 KOs.
The 38-year-old from East London has won his past three fights, most recently against Ghanain Justice Addy in July.
Horn continues to push for a world title shot next year following the 28-year-old former schoolteacher's easy victory over German Rico Mueller in Brisbane last month.
Also ranked No.4 in the WBO, he may have to get through two or three more fights before that opportunity presents itself.
Horn's camp has been waiting for IBF welterweight champion Kell Brook to vacate his belt and change weight divisions, as has been widely anticipated.
That would potentially put Horn in the frame for a clash against Errol Spence Jr., the current No.1 contender, for the title.
However Brook may now have his sights set on a unification bout with newly-crowned WBO welterweight champion, boxing great Manny Pacquiao, who returned from a seven-month hiatus at the weekend.
Following Pacquiao's victory over American Jessie Vargas, Brook tweeted: "@MannyPacquiaoTR unification fight at 147. Yes please #2017."
