Patrick Hyland could challenge the WBC World title on April 16th.

Hyland’s promoter Lou DiBella today won the purse bids to promote Jose Pedraza and Stephen Smith’s super featherweight title fight and has suggested the clash will take place on April 16 in either Foxwoods Resort and Casino, Connecticut, or the Beau Rivage Resort & Casino, Mississippi.

It has also been suggested that Hyland (31-1) will challenge Gary Russell Jr (26-1) for his featherweight World title on the card.

The former WBA interim title challenger was originally scheduled to challenge the American on March 12th in Connecticut but the card was postponed when welterweight titlist Keith Thurman suffered whiplash in a car accident, forcing his main event against former titleholder Shawn Porter to be delayed.

The delay may prove a blessing in disguise for the 31 year old as he has been afforded an extra month to prepare for the biggest fight of his career, which will be his first under new coach Paschal Collins.