“One of my favourite fighters is Marco Antonio Barrera – him and Morales is the best trilogy you can ever see, so if we can have that type of trilogy that would be absolutely iconic for the sport. Even better if we can get it in Croke Park with 80,000 people. That is the stadium we’ve all wanted for the homecoming so that would be amazing if it happened.” 

Over to Eddie Hearn to make his pitch. Earlier this year, the Matchroom boxing promoter and Croke Park engaged in a back and forth over costs. It emerged that the issue was surrounding who would foot the security bill.

“We could make a financial case on the tourism and why an event like this would be a huge success for this country. But if they can’t understand the compassionate side of giving this event and night to their greatest ever athlete then I really don’t know what we are doing.

“We are not even asking for favours. All we are asking for is for the cost to be in line with the biggest stadia in the world where we hold boxing. We don’t want a free stadium. If they want to give us one that would be marvellous. All we are saying is just make it there or thereabouts at Wembley, or Millennium Stadium or Dallas Cowboys.

“The difference as I said before about going to Croke Park we could make it more accessible to people. We had to hit numbers on a gate. So, we have to draw up a gate plan. It is expensive. The tickets tonight were expensive and not everybody can go.

“At the shopping centre (for the public work out) there were all generations, eight, nine-year-olds. You’re got granddads. And when you have got €30 tickets or cheaper and 10,000 of them it is going to be a massive celebration for generations in this country. That is the appeal and I know it would appeal to Katie as well.”