Jack Catterall insists that his upcoming fight with Harlem Eubank offers him the ideal chance to answer some serious questions.

Apart from the occasional keep-busy fight, the 31-year-old southpaw has campaigned at junior welterweight since he turned professional back in 2012 but will step up to 147lbs to take on the improving but relatively untested Eubank at Manchester’s AO Arena on July 5.

After losing a WBO interim junior welterweight title fight to Arnold Barboza Jr in February, it was imperative that Catterall didn’t slip out of sight and although he still sits at No. 3 in The Ring's 140lb rankings, he decided that fighting Eubank offered him the perfect route back to prominence.

On Saturday night, Catterall (30-2, 13 KOs) and Eubank (21-0, 9 KOs) were in attendance to witness Dave Allen bring a conclusive end to his heavyweight rivalry with Johnny Fisher, but not before climbing into the ring to formally announce the fight.

“You know what it wasn't the weight division, it was more getting back in with Harlem,” Catterall said.

“It’s a great domestic fight and the British fight fans love the domestic fights. The Eubank name is hot so it made sense to make this fight.

“It's very important, my back's against the wall. I need to go out and I need to put on a dominant performance. There’s a lot of questions to be asked of Harlem - and myself - so I expect to go in there and I expect to beat him.”

Fighting on terrestrial television has given 31 year-old Eubank the chance to perform in front of some huge audiences and over two million viewers tuned into Channel 5 during his 10th-round stoppage of Tyrone McKenna last month.

Eubank has made great strides in recent years and the way he dominated the tough Irishman persuaded Wasserman’s Nisse Sauerland that their man is ready for an opponent of Catterall’s level.

“Harlem needed a step up,” Sauerland said. “Jack's a great fighter, but I think we're catching him at the right part of his career

“Harlem's in his ascendancy right now and you saw that in his last performance. We're ready to let him loose.”

The fight also makes perfect sense to Catterall’s promoter, Eddie Hearn.

Last month, Eubank’s cousin, Chris Jr, outlasted Matchroom’s Conor Benn in a genuine British blockbuster. Harlem may not have the same kind of profile as his charismatic relative but the Eubank surname does carry plenty of cachet.

Catterall’s team will have pored through the world rankings looking for the type of opponent who could inject some excitement and interest back into Catterall’s career and decided that Eubank ticks plenty of boxes.

“Risky fight, great fight and that's what we want,” Hearn said. “Big domestic fights.

“Fair play to Harlem and Nisse stepping up, this [Catterall] is a world-class fighter. Harlem's yet to operate at that level, but let's see if he's got it.

“Eubanks seem to be hot right now. Let's run it back again and see who's going to lick who up on July 5 in Manchester.”