Melbourne boxer Michael Zerafa is in talks to fight Jaime Munguia after the Mexican champion called him out with a world title beckoning.
Michael Zerafa is moving to the big time with his next fight set to be against Mexican superstar Jaime Munguia.
The Melbourne middleweight boxer is in talks to take on Munguia, who is the No.1 contender in both the WBO and WBC camps.
Zerafa was eyeing an IBF world title fight against Brazilian Esquiva Falcao with unified world champion Gennady Golovkin tipped to move up a division.
However Golovkin's plans to complete his trilogy fight with Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez were put on ice with the latter's shock defeat to Russian Dmitry Bivol this month.
Munguia's plans to fight WBC titleholder Jermell Charlo fell over due to the TV deal and he was linked to another American, Daniel Jacobs, and also WBC No.2 Dominican Carlos Adames.
But the 25-year-old Tijuana slugger has called out Zerafa, who became the world No.2 IBF contender after stopping Issac Hardman in the second round in Melbourne last month.
The fight location and date are still to be hammered out but Zerafa was excited by the opportunity.
"It's huge - I want to get on a plane right now and get over there and fight him but it's a team decision so I'm just waiting for what's next, but what an opportunity," Zerafa told AAP.
"This will be for the WBO mandatory position which will fight Demetrius Andrade for the world title so the winner, if it does go ahead, will be ranked world No.4 over every single sanctioning body which is huge.
"It's awesome to be in this situation, to be in the driver's seat ... I want these fights, I want to be involved in the biggest and best fights."
While Zerafa concedes Munguia's record is impressive, he feels he will be a different prospect for the Mexican.
"You got to give him credit for what he's done and he's tough and has beaten some good guys but he's never fought anyone like me," 30-year-old Zerafa said.
"I can counter, I can do the same things he can do.
"I think it's going be a huge shock to him when he sees that I can do the same as him and he struggles to keep up with the speed, the power, the footwork. "
Zerafa, whose record is 30-4, earned back respect with his swift defeat of Hardman.
His credibility was dented when he was a late withdrawal from a fight last year with Tim Tszyu.
"I've put my body on the line - I've been fighting for 20 years now to get these world title opportunities and not many, if any, do," he said.
"I'm just grateful that I get the opportunity and if he wants that heat I'm ready to bring it."
