Boxing:Frank Maloney has challenged former WBA super-bantamweight champion Bernard Dunne to face European belt holder Rendall Munroe if he is "brave enough".
Dunne hasn't fought since losing his WBA crown in three rounds to Poonsawat Kratingdaenggym in September but a fight against Munroe could go some way to restoring his reputation.
Certainly it appears a risky step for Munroe, who is scheduled to challenge WBC champion Toshiaki Nishioka next year.
Munroe (20-1) is ranked second in the world by the WBC and underlined his credentials by out-pointing Simone Maludrottu last week.
"We made a fantastic offer for Bernard to face Munroe last year and I never heard a word from Dunne's camp,” said Maloney, who is sure to have dropped the offer considerably since then.
"I am now willing to make them another offer to face Munroe early next year if they are brave enough to step forward. All his manager Brian Peters has to do is call and lets see if he is up for the challenge, but somehow I doubt it.
"People might think I'm crazy to want the match, but Rendall could do with a knockout before facing Nishioka."
Dunne (28-2) has yet to reveal what his plans are after tasting defeat for the just the second time in his career in September.
Munroe is not the only one seeking a crack at Dunne, however. Dubliner Paul Hyland believes he deserves a shot too.
The 25-year-old Tallaght man defends his Irish Super Bantamweight title against Eugene Heagney on the undercard to the Matthew Macklin's fight against Rafa Sosa Pintos at the National Stadium on December 5th, but is already planning ahead to a possible world title bout with Dunne.
"A lot of people have been talking about me fighting Bernard and that's a fight I've always wanted but I think there would have to be something at on the line for that fight to make sense."
"I've looked up to Bernard for a long time," said Hyland. "I remember when I first turned pro he sent me a text congratulating me after my debut.
"He's put Irish boxing on the map and although he lost to Poonsawat I believe he can become a world champion again and when he does then can you imagine two Dubliner's fighting for the World title. That would be something else."