Australian welterweight Jeff Horn has called out unbeaten American Errol Spence Jr but will wait for the dust to settle on his latest triumph before plotting his path to a world title fight.
Horn recorded his 15th career win in Brisbane with a ninth-round stoppage of Germany's Rico Mueller in Friday night's IBF-sanctioned bout.
The result moves the 28-year-old Queenslander to No.2 on the IBF rankings and earned him the right to take on Spence next year for the world welterweight title, set to be vacated by Britain's Kell Brook.
Southpaw Spence (21-0-0) hasn't been taken beyond eight rounds by any of his opponents, and is a class above the fighters Horn has faced to date and it may pay the former schoolteacher to bide his time and get through a couple more bouts before taking the next step.
But if the opportunity presented itself tomorrow, Horn said he wouldn't hesitate.
"The future's open for me, isn't it. Who knows what's next?" he said.
"It could be a world title next fight. I could be fighting on Joseph Parker's undercard for a world title, the first one in New Zealand.
"I don't really mind. I'll have a crack at (Spence) right now.
"I do think I've got what it takes to beat him but of course, the more experience, the more chance I have of winning."
Horn's trainer, Glenn Rushton, was a touch more emphatic.
"If Errol Spence wants to dance, let's dance," he said.
"It's funny, I was listening to a podcast today, one of these American boxing commentators was saying 'hell no! Jeff who? Bring the body bags!'
"He was carrying on but we will see. He ain't fought no-one as tough as Jeff Horn, I'm telling you."
One US commentator who is firmly on the Horn bandwagon is legendary international caller 'Colonel' Bob Sheridan.
After witnessing Horn's demolition of Mueller, who was stopped for the first time in his career, Sheridan believes he would match up well against Spence.
"He has all the tools that you need to compete at that level, I'm convinced of that," Sheridan told AAP.
"He has such a great arsenal. He just has so much ability to do different things. If one thing isn't working he can go back to it.
"I really believe after this fight tonight he's a cut above the rest, and the type of athlete that would be great for the sport of boxing. I'd like to see him around a long time."
