Enzo Maccarinelli sees next foe Jesper Kristiansen as the ideal warm-up for a December bout with Johnny Nelson. If Maccarinelli beats Kristiansen on 3 September and Nelson defeats Rudiger May the next day, a clash between the pair is planned for the year's end.
"Kristiansen is another step on the road, he's a tall and rangy boxer like Nelson," Maccarinelli told BBC Sport.
"But so many boys fall at the final hurdle that I'm not looking at Johnny yet," added the WBU cruiserweight king.
"I'm learning all the time and have this golden carrot of the Nelson fight in December being dangled in front of me."
 |  The ring-rust showed in my last match with Ismail Abdoul |
Nelson's WBO crown would give 23-year-old Swansea fighter Maccarinelli a recognised world title, as opposed to the lightly regarded WBU belt which he has defended four times. Nelson makes his 13th defence of the WBO crown in Germany on 4 Septmber, and the Sheffield craftsman is regarded by Maccarinelli as the best of the cruiserweight champions.
Although he says he is not looking past the clash with Danish fighter Kristiansen in Newport, Maccarinelli admits he knows little about his next foe.
"I know he's boxed my former opponents Garry Delaney and Eal Morais and has challenged for the European title in Italy," Maccarinelli told BBC Sport Wales.
"He will have no fears about coming to Wales, but I'm just looking forward to getting in the ring again.
"It was annoying to be inactive for so long after the Delaney fight and the ring-rust showed in my last match with Ismail Abdoul.
"I'm the sort of fighter who is always in the gym, so it's nice to have an end product to look forward to."
MMIX
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