Michael Conlan will fight Vladimir Nikitin, the Russian who controversially eliminated him from the Rio 2016 Olympics, in Belfast on 3 August.

Conlan (11-0-0) last week announced the date in his home town and today it was confirmed that Nikitin, who has won all three of his fights since turning pro last year, will be the Irishman's opponent as part of the Féile an Phobail at Falls Park.

Conlan quit amateur boxing for the pro ranks after the suspect decision to award Nikitin victory in their bantamweight quarter-final three years ago.

Most observers felt that the Russian, who was too badly injured to compete in the semi-finals, had clearly lost.

Conlan tweeted that he had "wanted this fight from that day, August 16th 2016. REVENGE will be sweet!!"

Nikitin (29), who signed with Conlan's promoters Top Rank last year, said: "I am coming to Michael’s hometown during their biggest festival to show everyone my Olympic victory was not a fluke. This is going to be repeat, not revenge."

The undefeated Conlan outpointed Mexico’s Ruben Garcia Hernandez on St Patrick's Day in New York for his 11th consecutive career win.

"I was here to win Olympic gold, my dream’s been shattered now," Conlan told RTÉ Sport in a memorable interview following the decision in Brazil.

"But you know what, I’ve a big career ahead of me and these ones, they’re known for being cheats and they’ll always be cheats. Amateur boxing stinks from the core to the top."

Meanwhile, Conlan's fellow Belfast native Carl Frampton is being lined up to return to the ring in August in the United States.