Anthony Joshua has paid huge respect to Joseph Parker, labelling his world heavyweight boxing rival "a warrior" whose achievements have been "phenomenal".
The big Brit, who dominates the division with the IBF, WBA and IBO belts, is lining up a mandatory defence of his IBF title against Kubrat Pulev.
Parker, meanwhile, is getting ready to defend his WBO title against Hughie Fury in Manchester on September 23.
Sky Sports in the UK asked Joshua to run through potential opponents for the future and he was quick to target Parker with a unification bout beckoning if both can remain unbeaten.
"I see him as a warrior. He's from a warrior nation," Joshua said of the 25-year-old New Zealander who is unbeaten through 23 professional fights.
"He's doing well. I watched him as an amateur. He was in the amateur system above me when I first started and I watched him.
"For him to turn his amateur pedigree into a respected professional, a heavyweight champion of the world, phenomenal achievement."
Joshua described the unorthodox style of the other heavyweight champion, American Deontay Wilder who holds the WBC belt, as "bomb squad".
"He's done his thing. He started from nothing, he's champion of the world, and his name is in the history books, so well done to him," Joshua told Sky Sports.
But Joshua was far from complimentary about fellow Brit Tyson Fury, the man who opened up the division almost two years ago by beating Wladimir Klitschko but hasn't fought since after striking trouble in his private life. He also has a doping hearing hanging over him.
The wins by Fury and Joshua over Klitschko were in marked difference, a point noted by Joshua.
"He didn't throw a punch [against Wladimir Klitschko]. He didn't come to fight. He just walked around the ring for like 12 rounds, it's boring," Joshua said of Tyson Fury.
"It's not winning; it's how you win. His stock didn't rise. Your stock has got to rise and he could have had the better win.
"When people look at it, many years after, ask them whose fight they will remember."
Joshua felt there was marketability in fights against two other British heavyweights – Dillian Whyte and David Haye.
Photo by: LAWRENCE SMITH/STUFF
Caption: WBO world heavyweight champion Joseph Parker busts through the defence of Romanian Razvan Cojanu in his last fight.