Friday 21 December 2018 12:28, UK
Oleksandr Usyk could be offered a fight against Dillian Whyte or Derek Chisora next year.
Book Whyte vs Chisora 2 online here
Watch Whyte vs Chisora 2 online here
Whyte and Chisora will settle their grudge on Saturday, live on Sky Sports Box Office, with Usyk and Anthony Joshua among the interested spectators at ringside.
"Usyk could fight the winner or loser of [Whyte vs Chisora]," promoter Eddie Hearn said.
"No-one really knows how good Usyk truly will be at heavyweight. We know he will be good, but can he mix it with the big boys? That is the fascination."
Can [Usyk] mix it with the big boys? That is the fascination.
Usyk is the undisputed world cruiserweight champion after a stellar 2018 that saw him the World Boxing Super Series semi-final and final, then knock out Tony Bellew.
His long-held desire is to step up to heavyweight to challenge Anthony Joshua but, with his promoters K2 working alongside Matchroom, will likely take other fights in the top division first.
"Usyk won't mess around. You won't see him fight someone average," Hearn added.
"Carlos Takam is a guy that would make sense - a bit small but powerful and strong."
Usyk has a wildcard option of defending his four cruiserweight belts against Andre Ward, who retired in 2017 with a 32-0 record as a world champion at super-middleweight and light-heavyweight.
"I think that would be the only fight that Usyk would stick around at cruiserweight for," Hearn said.
"[Usyk vs Ward] is pure boxing. It is the absolute art of the sweet science. It would be the pound-for-pound best fighter in the world, who is undefeated and retired, against the current best pound-for-pound fighter and the fighter of the year.
"There are so many different narratives - it would be a 50-50 fight, Ward going up to cruiserweight.
"I have [spoken to Usyk about this] and I have put it to Ward. But I think it would take something unreasonable to bring Ward out of retirement.
"I think Usyk will move to heavyweight and box in America in April."
Ward's manager James Prince told Sky Sports earlier this month that "anything is possible" with regards to coming out of retirement.
Watch Dillian Whyte vs Derek Chisora 2, from The O2, London, on Saturday, live on Sky Sports Box Office, from 6pm. Book it via your Sky remote or book it online here.
Even if you aren't a Sky TV subscriber you can book and watch it at skysports.com/boxofficelive.
