Anthony Joshua has claimed that he is trying not to give much thought to the fighters who could possibly face him in the near future.
Promoter Eddie Hearn suggested earlier this week that Joshua could be in line to meet former world heavyweight champion David Haye next year, but the Olympic champion insists that he is concentrating on Saturday's opponent, Denis Bakhtov.
"I keep the blinkers on and don't buy into that yet. I'm someone who just likes to look at what is in front of me first and foremost and then we can talk about what's next," the 24-year-old told Sky Sports News.
"The good thing about talking about [David] Price and Haye is that it's amazing these are the guys out there that I can be competing with.
"It's not just one of them – there's four or five of these guys at an elite level I am going to have to go through to get to a championship belt. It's just really promising what's ahead for the future."
Joshua will pick up the WBC International belt with victory at the O2 Arena on Saturday.
Callum Mulvihill
