By Edward Chaykovsky

According to Callum Smith (20-0, 15KOs), he and WBO super middleweight champion Gilberto Ramirez will take over the entire 168-pound division before facing each other in a unification bout to settle the issue of which of them is better.

At the moment Smith is the mandatory challenger to WBO super middleweight champion Badou Jack, who returns in the fall in a unification clash with Smith's countryman IBF champ James DeGale.

Ramirez became the WBO champion after unseating longtime veteran Arthur Abraham in April as part of the Manny Pacquiao vs Timothy Bradley III undercard at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

"As long as I can keep winning and pick up a world title, then there's no reason [Ramirez] and I can't meet in the future. He's definitely one of the best at 168lbs already," Smith told Sky Sports.

"We're both relatively young whereas Jack is 32 and DeGale is 30. Providing we both keep winning, Ramirez and I can both win world titles and clash in the future. I really rate Ramirez and my trainer Joe Gallagher has been watching him and rates him too. He's definitely someone we've got our eye on."

Smith was last in the ring earlier this month at Goodison Park and had some struggles in beating Cesar Hernan Reynoso

He feels ready to face Jack (20-1-2, 12 KOs) right now and feels that he can beat DeGale as well.

"I'd love to fight Badou Jack before the end of the year and get to him before James DeGale. Me beating Jack and earning myself a world title would make me against DeGale even bigger," Smith said. "I would like that but I don't really have a choice because if they want to have a unification fight then that comes before the mandatory. If they say it's almost done, then I'm sure it is.

"I'll have to sit and wait. If they fight at the end of the year then I'm sure it'll be a good fight. I'm improving and getting better and better in the meantime. I'll be a better fighter next year and I'm confident I'll beat whoever will come out the winner.

"I'm still mandatory for the WBC title, which will belong to DeGale if he beats Jack. I'll aim towards that. They're both very good fighters and tough for anyone but I believe that, at my best, I can beat both of them."