The 36-year-old lightweight will go head-to-head against Chantelle Cameron at the 3Arena – which seats 10,000 – this weekend, and though she had hoped for the fight to take place at the much bigger and more “iconic” nearby Croke Park, she’s just “delighted” to have a home crowd in her corner.

She told Boxing News: “It would obviously have been absolutely phenomenal if the fight did happen at Croke Park, that most iconic arena.

“I’m very hopeful that a fight there will happen, but right now I’m just delighted to be fighting back home regardless of the arena I’m fighting in.

“I feel grateful to be in this position, to take big-time boxing home to Ireland for the first time in a long time.

“The support I get from people back home has been phenomenal, ever since my amateur days really.”

Katie thinks the bout will be the “hardest fight” of her career so far but she’s “excited” about it.

She said: “I think it could be the hardest fight of my career. A lot of people are saying this is a tougher fight than Amanda Serrano, so this is going to be a huge fight with two undisputed champions getting together to share the ring.

“It’s only going to be an epic fight really. She’s big, she’s strong, she has a good engine and a good jab.

“It’s going to be a very difficult fight but I will be ready and prepared for whatever comes my way.

“I’m so excited that it is actually happening and I have the chance to become a two-weight undisputed champion in front of my own fans.”