AFPMatchroom promoter Eddie Hearn confirmed that the Boardwalk Hall bout was on the verge of being set in stone via his official Twitter: "Hounded by questions about Rees v Broner.. We have agreed terms with Golden Boy for Feb 16 and will now proceed to contract."
And 32-year-old Rees also confirmed the talks via the social media website, saying: "Looks like I'm fighting Adrian Broner 16th feb for WBC title massive fight for me and time for me to become 2 weight world champ"
Rees’ trainer Gary Lockett then confirmed that the fight was set in an interview with Boxing News.
"Eddie Hearn will get a lot of stick and I will get a lot of stick," Lockett explained.
"But when Darren Barker fought Sergio Martinez no-one gave him a chance and look at the performance he put in.
"Gavin Rees isn’t the sort of guy to go there to make the numbers up.
"Let’s be realistic: he’s a massive, massive underdog but with his style he gives anyone an argument."
Newbridge-born Rees has a record of 37 wins from 39 fights with 18 KOs, one loss and one draw.
He stunned Souleymane M'baye in 2007 to win the WBA light-welterweight title before dropping the belt to Andriy Kotelnik in his first defence, and won the light-welterweight Prizefighter tournament in 2009.
His most recent success came with a ninth-round stoppage of Derry Mathews at Sheffield's Motorpoint Arena in July, but will face his toughest test to date in the form of undefeated American Broner (25-0, 21 knockouts).
'The Problem' has been looking to take on Scotland's Ricky Burns, holder of the lightweight division's WBO championship, in a unification bout but after a series of frustrations in arranging warm-up bouts, Burns will wait a little longer to fight Broner.
