British bantamweight Stuart Hall will make the second defence of his IBF title in Newcastle on Saturday night against unbeaten domestic rival Paul Butler.

The bout is one of three clashes involving British and Irish fighters on the world stage over the weekend, with heavyweight David Price facing Yaroslav Zavorotnyi in Germany while Irish middleweight Andy Lee goes up against the hard-hitting John Jackson at Madison Square Garden.

Below, Sports Mole takes a look at each fight, while attempting to predict who will prevail from the respective contests.

1. Stuart Hall vs. Paul Butler

Stuart Hall was a name only known by the sport's hardcore fans before he was handed a shot at the IBF title last December, but his victory over Vusi Malinga soon improved his standing on both the domestic and worldwide scene.

The North-East competitor has transformed his life to achieve his dream of becoming world champion, but he faces a bigger task to remain at the top of the sport with an influx of names challenging the 34-year-old for his global crown.

Hall's first defence ended in disappointing circumstances when a clash of heads resulted in opponent Martin Ward requiring 15 stiches and the bout being called as a technical draw, and with a second domestic operator standing in his way, Hall will be eager to send his supporters home smiling at the second time of asking.

However, standing in Hall's way is the unbeaten Paul Butler, who has put together 15 successive wins as a professional and who arrives in Newcastle with three impressive victories against opponents who have barely tasted defeat during their career.

Butler is only competing in his second fight in the weight class after making the move up from super-flyweight, but if he can show the same kind of power that he did in his last outing, he could land the more hurtful punches over the course of what is likely to be a 12-round fight.

2. David Price vs. Yaroslav Zavorotnyi

It's been nearly a year since he suffered a second demoralising defeat to American Tony Thompson in front of his home supporters, but David Price is finally beginning to make progress on the world heavyweight scene.

The Liverpudlian disposed of Istvan Ruzsinszky inside a round in January before passing a solid test offered by Ondrej Pala after getting off the canvas to stop the Czech fighter inside three rounds.

It was far from perfect from the 30-year-old, but the manner of the victory should give him confidence heading into his match with Ukrainian Yaroslav Zavorotnyi in Germany in two days' time.

Zavorotnyi's 14 stoppages from 16 wins indicates that he has plenty of power, but six defeats on his CV should mean that he will be there to hit for Price and it would be considered a major surprise if Price doesn't stop the 39-year-old before the end of the 10 rounds.

Price will be knowledgeable of the fact that Zavorotnyi went eight rounds with Kubrat Pulev, who is scheduled to face Wladimir Klitschko later this year, but despite that performance, Price should have the ability to make a positive statement against the veteran and secure a match with a top-10 contender in September.

3. Andy Lee vs. John Jackson

After failing to secure a showdown with Matthew Macklin during the early part of the year, Andy Lee made the decision to move down to light-middleweight as he looks for another opportunity to compete for a world title.

The Irishman's previous attempt resulted in a seventh-round stoppage to Julio Cesar Chavez Jnr in 2012, and it's been a long road back for the 29-year-old, who managed to box just 13 rounds in two years before his debut at 154 pounds in April.

However, Lee, who has lost just twice in his professional career, suffered a huge scare against journeyman Frank Haroche Horta, grinding his way to a majority win by scores of 77-76, 76-76 and 77-76 against an opponent who had lost 12 times in the professional ranks.

It can sometimes take time for a fighter to adapt to a new weight class, but Lee could take no positives from the fight in Denmark, and he's under pressure to perform at New York's Madison Square Garden when he meets the reputable John Jackson.

The 25-year-old has stopped 15 of his 19 opponents, with his sole defeat coming against another fine prospect in Willie Nelson, and Lee could have his hands full as he looks to strengthen his chances of being able to showcase his talents to an American audience on a regular basis.