Joseph Parker's hopes of a unification bout this year have firmed with WBC champion Deontay Wilder emphasising his desire to fight New Zealand's WBO belt holder.
There's business to attend to first – Wilder must get past fellow American Gerald Washington and Parker needs to beat britain's Hughie Fury to retain their belts.
Wilder should have little trouble with Washington and he expects Parker to handle Fury. That has him very enthusiastic about fighting the Kiwi, adding he's more than willing to have the unification fight in New Zealand.
"I want Joseph Parker," Wilder told Ring TV. "This is how I want things to go and this is what my team has in mind as well - 2017 is all about unifications.
"I'm not looking past Gerald Washington. But I look through it. I'm window shopping. After Gerald Washington, we're going after the winner of Hughie Fury and Joseph Parker, which I'm predicting Joseph Parker to win. So, I'm going after Joseph Parker for the WBO title.
"Parker is next. His trainer hit me up. They want the fight."
As for the venue, Wilder is open, saying he wants to improve his profile by travelling.
"As long as it's safe for my family, friends and me to go, I'm not scared to go anywhere," he said.
"I want to go to different countries, as far as my legacy is concerned. I want to go all over the world defending my title. I'm not worried about the judges because I have a lot of confidence with my power because I can get any man out at any given time in a fight."
Beat Parker and Wilder (37-0 with 36 knockouts) would then set his sights on the winner of Anthony Joshua's IBF title defence against Wladimir Klitschko that also has the vacant WBA title on the line on April 29.
"Two belts-two belts unify the division. And that's it. I want belts," Wilder told Ring TV.
Parker would likely chase a similar path if he was successful.
Parker's handlers Duco Events are desperate to get traction in the buoyant UK market but have the connection of co-promoter Bob Arum of Top Rank to make a mark in the United States.
Photo: Getty Images (Deontay Wilder on the attack against Chris Arreola in his last fight).