Former super middleweight champion and Sky Sports expert analyst Carl Froch expects a very big year for IBF, IBO, WBA heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua (20-0, 20 KOs).
First up for Joshua, is a likely unification with WBO world champion Joseph Parker - which is nearly finalized for the likely date of March 31, possibly in Cardiff, Wales.
"Well, let's assume the Joseph Parker fight is next up, for a start. I honestly think Parker is better than people are saying but Joshua's strength and size alone should see him get that WBO, too," Froch said to Sky Sports.
Should Joshua overcome Parker, there is a WBA mandatory challenger waiting in the wings - former champion and Olympic gold medal winner Alexander Povetkin - who is also ranked at number one by the WBO.
Another big fight would be a rematch with British rival Dillian Whyte, who at the moment is the top rated contender under the WBC.
Froch would like to see Povetkin and Whyte face each other - and the winner gets the crack at Joshua.
"Whyte is probably the only one who is going to wind him up in the build-up, but he needs to prove he is good enough first. Then I was going to say Alexander Povetkin now he's the WBA mandatory, but what about putting him against Dillian Whyte and the winner gets to fight Josh? Whyte is probably the only one who is going to wind [Joshua] up in the build-up, but he needs to prove he is good enough first," Froch said.
And how should the year end off? Froch says nothing would be better than Joshua traveling over to Las Vegas to fight Wilder.
"It's got to be Deontay Wilder at the end of the year, in Las Vegas. Josh has done Wembley, he's done Cardiff, so I want to see him in America. Wilder is not the big ticket-seller in America like Josh is over here, but hopefully this time next year, he's improved that. A heavyweight world title fight with all four belts available. It has to be Vegas," Froch said.
