Robert De Niro and Sylvester Stallone are officially in talks to star in Grudge Match.

The pair are favored by director Peter Segal for the boxing movie - which tells the tale of two rival boxers who are tempted back into the ring for one last bout despite neither of them having fought for years -and are currently negotiating their roles, according to entertainment website The Wrap.

The comedy, which was first announced in 2010, will see the pair go head-to-head in the ultimate boxing face-off. Doug Ellin, the creator of popular TV series Entourage, has been chosen by Warner Bros to write the script. The movie is expected to begin filming next year.

"Stallone and De Niro are expected to come on board as they're both fans of the director and have both sent themselves up in comedies in recent years. If they go head-to-head in the ring it will certainly be a little piece of Hollywood history," a Hollywood insider said.

Both actors are well known for portraying boxers in the past - Stallone, 64, has appeared in six Rocky movies while 67-year-old De Niro won an Oscar for his portrayal of Jake La Motta in Raging Bull.