Along with the IBF welterweight world title, the potential for massive future fights will be on the line when Natasha Jonas and Mikaela Mayer clash in Liverpool on Saturday.
With the Brit and the American among the biggest names in their sport, particularly on their respective sides of the pond, there will be no shortage of fighters queueing up to face the winner.
The fact that both Jonas and Mayer have – and retain the ability to – fight across several different weight divisions only increases the highly impressive pool of future opponents.
While Mayer has confirmed that victory for her could result in Jonas activating a rematch clause, nothing can be taken for granted in boxing.
Ahead of Saturday’s contest, which is live on Sky Sports, we have taken a look at who could be in line for a shot at the victor.
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Mikaela Mayer reveals her entrance music will be a Beatles track when she walks to the ring in Liverpool on Saturday
Jessica McCaskill
One of the most obvious options would be former undisputed welterweight champion Jessica McCaskill, who still holds the division’s WBA and WBC titles.
The first thing worth pointing out is that for McCaskill to remain a highly attractive opponent for Jonas or Mayer, she probably needs to come through a scheduled defence of her belts against Croatia’s Ivana Habazin in April.
Whether the 39-year-old can do that is far from certain. She was comprehensively beaten by Britain’s Chantelle Cameron when dropping down a division for a shot at becoming undisputed super-lightweight champion.
Jessica McCaskill holds the WBC and WBA welterweight world titles
Then, when returning to welterweight, she was highly fortunate to hang onto her titles after claiming a draw against Britain’s Sandy Ryan in Florida last September.
If she can somehow come through on away soil against Habazin, both Jonas and Mayer will fancy their chances of adding to the IBF title that is on the line this Saturday.
With signs that McCaskill may be past her best, in the event Habazin is victorious on home soil, the Croat could become the fighter on the radar of the IBF champion.
Sandy Ryan
The other option for a welterweight unification bout is Derby’s Sandy Ryan.
Having beaten Marie Pier Houle to become world champion in just her seventh professional fight, Ryan then produced a hugely impressive performance that should have been enough to take McCaskill’s belts.
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Following Sandy Ryan’s controversial draw with Jessica McCaskill, Barry Jones and Anthony Yarde discuss whether VAR should be brought into boxing
The 30-year-old was disappointed to miss out on an immediate rematch against McCaskill and has yet to confirm her next move.
She has recently split from long-time trainer Clifton Mitchell after deciding to base her training in Portugal and the USA, which could have an impact after a near 18-year partnership.
While Ryan is a fighter on the up who would present a mighty challenge to either Jonas or Mayer, her possession of the WBO belt could tempt the victor into it.
Claressa Shields
How about the GWOAT?
With Mayer having already taken a significant jump up in weight to face Jonas, a match-up with the undisputed middleweight champion seems like a long shot.
There’s also the fact that they have a strong relationship from their time together as USA Olympians, but we all know friendships can be put aside in boxing.
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Mikaela Mayer and Gary Logan discuss who is the current GWOAT of boxing – Katie Taylor or Claressa Shields
Shields might be a more a realistic opponent for Jonas, who has previously expressed a desire to take on the unbeaten American.
Jonas’ first world title came at the 154lbs super-welterweight division, and Shields’ promoter Dmitry Salita says his fighter could potentially come down to meet Jonas at that weight.
“I believe that junior middleweight is her limit,” Salita told Sky Sports. “I do believe at this stage of her life, being a little bit older, putting on muscle, training as she has trained 147lbs is unrealistic.
“It’s good in the sport of boxing to talk about things that are possible. If these champions can go up to 154lbs, 155, maybe Claressa can make it, maybe there’s a conversation to be had.
“You don’t have to convince Claressa to fight the best. She’s shown it and she’ll do it again and again and again and she would love to come back to the UK at the right time.”
Lauren Price
There’s another Olympic gold medallist who would be interested in facing the winner, and that’s Britain’s Lauren Price.
The Tokyo middleweight champion has begun her professional career in the welterweight ranks, meeting high expectations with six comfortable victories.
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Lauren Price remains unbeaten after a dominant win over Silvia Bortot in Bournemouth
Speaking ahead of the most recent of those, over Silvia Bortot in December, the 29-year-old made it very clear she is ready for a step up in opponent.
“Even though I’m respectful and I’m laid back, I do want these big fights. That’s why I turned professional,” Price told Sky Sports.
“I believe the girls who have got the world titles at welterweight at the minute – I beat them.”
Price, who will likely be in Liverpool on Saturday night, will undoubtedly be one of the most interested spectators in the arena.
Caroline Dubois
When she eventually hangs up her gloves, a big part of Jonas’ legacy will be the next generation of fighters she helped to inspire when becoming Britain’s first female boxing Olympian at London 2012.
Along with the looming threat of Price, there is also Caroline Dubois, who has made an equally dominant start to her professional career with eight successive victories.
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Watch Caroline Dubois knockdown Magali Rodriguez three times during their clash at York Hall
With Dubois having only just turned 23, there is absolutely no rush, but like Price, she has repeatedly expressed a desire to challenge for the sport’s biggest honours sooner rather than later.
She claimed an IBO title by beating Magali Rodriguez in October and has now been mandated to challenge for the IBF world title vacated by Katie Taylor.
It’s almost certain that Dubois will progress up the weight divisions at some point, but could the lure of a mega-fight against Jonas or Mayer accelerate the process?
Katie Taylor or Chantelle Cameron
This pair would seem most likely to end up facing each other for a trilogy fight after splitting two 2023 contests.
Taylor winning the second bout in November means that she is currently the undisputed super-lightweight – and lightweight – champion, and holds all the cards.
In the event that a third meeting between them can’t be agreed, both would be in play to face Jonas or Mayer.
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Sky Sports’ Andy Scott and John Dennen debate who belongs at the top of the pound-for-pound list of women’s boxing after Katie Taylor’s rematch victory over Chantelle Cameron
Cameron previously expressed a willingness to move up to welterweight for a rematch with McCaskill after her 2022 victory over the American, which suggests she would be willing to do the same here.
Meanwhile in Taylor’s case, there is unfinished business with Jonas.
When the pair met in 2021 with Taylor’s lightweight titles on the line, Jonas very nearly stunned the Irish fighter before falling to a very tight points decision.
In the event that she beats Mayer, a final shot at Taylor, perhaps to become undisputed super-lightweight world champion, would surely be the perfect ending to Jonas’ career.
Watch Jonas vs Mayer live on Sky Sports Arena at 7pm and Sky Sports Main Event at 8pm this Saturday. Stream boxing on Sky Sports with NOW