WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury may potentially use heavy handed Apti Davtaev as a sparring partner to prepare for the trilogy fight with Deontay Wilder.
As BoxingScene.com previously reported, head trainer Sugarhill Steward has arrived in the UK to start preparing Fury for the Wilder bout.
At the moment, the trilogy with Wilder is slated for a tentative date of December 19 in Las Vegas.
Steward also trains Davtaev (21-0, 19 KOs) and has been eager to get him in there to spar with someone on the level of Fury.
According to Davtaev's promoter, Dmitriy Salita, there is a possibility that Davtaev will join Fury's camp.
"Potentially yes," said Davtaev's promoter Dmitriy Salita to Sky Sports. "While Apti is more filled out than Wilder, they are about the same height. That would be a great experience for Apti.
"He is the best heavyweight coming out of Russia. His time off the radar, training at the Kronk Gym with Sugarhill over the last several years paid off. He is now ready to explode onto the heavyweight scene."
Davtaev was initially eyed as a sparring partner for Fury's February rematch with Wilder.
"I wanted them to spar but the timing wasn't right," Steward previously told Sky Sports. "Apti was fighting in Russia, and Tyson in Las Vegas, one day apart, so it didn't make sense to travel.
"He [Davtaev] had a good performance in his last fight, keeping the things that I taught him. He was excited to box with Tyson. He wants to learn from the best. It would be a great combination because Tyson loves to teach. During his last camp, we spent time teaching the sparring partners, not just teaching Tyson."
When Davtaev will return is unknown at the moment. He was scheduled to face former champion Lucas Browne a few months ago, but the event was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.