Undefeated Scottish talent Josh Taylor has no intentions of boxing beyond the next few years but believes he could clean up in as many as three different weight classes before he does bow out.
Taylor, 29, currently holds the WBA (Super), IBF and The Ring light-welterweight titles after a pair of championship wins in 2019 over Belarussian Ivan Baranchyk and American Regis Prograis.
His pandemic-breaking appearance on Sept. 26 saw him blast mandatory challenger Apinun Khongsong of Thailand in just two minutes and 41 seconds, seemingly paving the way to a big 2021 unification bout with fellow unbeaten light-welter Jose Ramirez, who holds the WBC and WBO versions of the championship and last fought on Aug. 29 with a majority decision win over Ukrainian Viktor Postol.
In an interview this week with BBC Scotland, Taylor (17-0, 13 KOs) provided an update on discussions to make the bout happen with all the belts on the line, noting that he hasn't lost hope to bring it onto home soil.
"It's looking like the early part of next year, maybe February/March/April time," Taylor said.
"It's most likely going to be in America because in some states they're allowing a good number of fans in and that's what I would prefer to do, fight in front of fans.
"I've always wanted to fight in America in a big show and see my name up in bright lights, so that will be another one ticked off the bucket list.
"It's looking like it's going to be the West coast, maybe in LA or Nevada. But nothing has been confirmed and it could still be here in Glasgow."
On the topic of his "exit strategy" when it comes to hanging up the gloves, Taylor's answer was somewhat surprising for a profession where many struggle to walk away — as evidenced by Mike Tyson and Roy Jones Jr.'s recent return for an exhibition in their fifties.
"I don't want to be fighting until I'm 36, 37, 38 and the body starts falling apart," Taylor admitted. "Ideally, I want to retire at 32 or 33, get out of the game and live the rest of my life.
"Another four or five fights - if they're big fights - and that's hopefully it for me. These ones that are potentially coming around now are for life-changing money.
"If I win, I will quite happily retire at the top of the game. Live the rest of my life and enjoy it, maybe open up my own gym and start training and managing fighters.
"If the fights don't go the way I want, I might have to go on a little longer until I achieve what I want. But I want to get out the sport with all my faculties and with my body still in good condition."
Should he be successful in becoming an undisputed light-welterweight champion of the world, Taylor nonetheless believes he will have enough time to add other weight class titles to his resume.
It would be easier and thus more likely for him to move up into the welterweight ranks, currently ruled by the likes of undefeated stars Errol Spence Jr. and Terence Crawford. A grueling effort to fight several times one notch below his current division at lightweight, however, cannot be ruled out.
The 135-pound ranks are widely regarded as boxing's hottest scene at present, with Devin Haney and Gervonta Davis each holding world titles and challengers such as Ryan Garcia and George Kambosos Jr. closing in on opportunities. None of those four have lost a professional bout to date, nor has the current lightweight ace, Teofimo Lopez Jr., who now holds the WBA (Super), IBF, WBO and The Ring straps after defeating the formidable Vasiliy Lomachenko.
All of those names could end up offering fights with the potential to provide plenty of cash for Taylor's planned early retirement fund, and it sounds as though he would love to mix it up with the lightweight elite.
"I'm making the weight so much more easily," he continued. "I could maybe even go down to 135 and challenge for a title there and then jump up to 147 and be a three-weight world champion. These are all longer-term goals.
"You've got Teofimo Lopez, who's big for 135. You've got Vasyl Lomachenko. It would be hard to make the weight, but I think it is doable. And then jump up to 147 to take on Terence Crawford and Errol Spence, the greats of the sport."