Both Dunne and Cordoba have both suffered one professional defeat

Irish fighter Bernard Dunne has been handed a world title fight against Panana's WBA super-bantamweight champion Ricardo Cordoba.

The Dubliner will have home advantage for the 21 March bout at The O2 arena in his home city.

Like Dunne, Cordoba has lost only one of his career bouts although the Panamanian has been involved in four world title fights.

"This is what I've worked my whole life for," said 28-year-old Dunne.

"Every boxer wants to fight for a world title but to have it in your home town is special. It's going to be an incredible experience."

Cordoba, 26, claimed the interim WBA belt when he outpointed Nicaraguan Luis Alberto Perez last September.

He was then declared champion on 21 November and the bout with Dunne will be the Panamanian's first defence.

"I am treating this as the biggest fight of my career," said Cordoba.

"There is no way that I am taking this fight lightly. I want to be world champion for a very long time."

I know I'm as good as anyone else out there Bernard Dunne

Dunne has been handed his world title chance despite being ranked only 11th by the WBA.

However, the Dubliner believes that he is capable of upsetting the Central American.

"I know I'm as good as anyone else out there. If I didn't believe that, then I'd have no business in there."

Cordoba racked up 25 straight wins after turning professional, which included a victory over his compatriot and current IBF world champion super-bantamweight champion Celestino Caballero.

He was controversially outpointed by Thailand's Poonsawat Kratingdaenggym in his first world title challenge for the WBA bantamweight belt in August 2005.

The Panamanian felt even more aggrieved when the judges only gave him draws in two world title bouts against German-based Ukrainian Wladimir Sidorenko in Hamburg and Berlin in November 2006 and March 2007.

However, Cordoba finally landed the elusive world belt when he defeated Perez last September which brought up his professional record to 34 wins, one defeat and two draws.

Dunne's career suffered a major setback when he surrendered the European title in August 2007 after being knocked out in one round by Spain's Kiko Martinez.

The Dubliner has regrouped since then with three wins and his promoter Brian Peters has now succeeding in securing the world title chance.

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