Oleksandr Usyk has admitted one of the reasons he agreed to fight Tony Bellew is to set up a super-fight with Anthony Joshua.
The Ukrainian cruiserweight, 31, will defend his four world titles when he takes on Bellew at the Manchester Arena on November 10, but has set his sights on the heavyweight world champion next.
Usyk, who became the undisputed cruiserweight champion with a dominant points victory over Murat Gassiev in July, says he is looking forward to returning to the UK where he won an Olympic gold medal at London 2012.
"One reason we have agreed to fight Bellew is to get to Joshua," Usyk told The Sun.
"It is exactly part of the strategy and why we have this co-operation with Eddie Hearn [Bellew's promoter].
"He has Tony, he has Anthony, he has Dillian Whyte and a couple more heavyweights. It's the best way, the shortest -- not the easiest -- way to fight Anthony."
Joshua repeated his eagerness to fight American WBC champion Deontay Wilder after knocking out Alexander Povetkin to retain the WBA, WBO, IBF and IBO world heavyweight titles at Wembley on Saturday.
Wilder meanwhile will defend his title against Tyson Fury on Dec. 10.
Liverpudlian Bellew says he believes he will "find a way" to get past Usyk, who he described as a "monster" at a press conference on Monday.
Bellew, 35, is returning to his more natural level at cruiserweight after consecutive heavyweight victories over David Haye.
"I'm going up against the monster, the man who no one really wants to fight, the man who just dismantles fighters and beats them easily," Bellew said.
"There's only one difference when he looks in my eyes. He passed a comment after Saturday's little stare-down -- the comment was he thinks I'm arrogant. But it is not arrogance he sees.
"For the first time in his whole career he sees a man looking back at him who believes he can win. I don't just think or believe -- I know. I'm going to find a way. I always do."
Asked why he had decided to take on such a dangerous opponent, Bellew (30-2-1, 20 KOs) said he could not back down after Usyk had called him out.
"I was on my honeymoon and for one reason or another I stood there watching Oleksandr beat up Murat Gassiev on a mobile phone," he said.
"The fight stops, and then he makes the ultimate sin - he says my name. And it didn't take long. Soon as he said my name, I knew.
"The world's going to write me off and the more you write me off, the more I want to fight. So we will see."