Tony Bellew is confident he would beat Andre Ward if he opts to face the pound- for-pound king over a rematch with David Haye.
Bellew (29-2-1-KO19) claimed Haye's scalp in a memorable clash in March and could again face his old foe once Haye is back to 100 per cent from the serious Achilles injury he suffered during that fight.
But, since then, the possibility of taking on Ward (32-0-KO16) has emerged, with his step up to light-heavyweight having seen him take Sergey Kovalev's WBA, WBO and IBF titles and most recently defend them in Las Vegas last month.
Ward is Ring Magazine's pound-for-pound best boxer in the world, and that leaves Bellew torn between what would be two massive fights.
Speaking at a golf challenge at Ainsdale Beach, where he was taking on Liverpool great Jamie Carragher, Bellew told Sky Sports News HQ: "We are a little bit further on with talks with Andre Ward, and Eddie [Hearn] is talking to David Haye, so I've got a choice to make between one of the two.
"I like the thought of going in with the pound-for-pound king of the world, I really do, but I am not foolish or stupid enough to know there isn't unfinished business with David Haye.
"Both fights are attractive to me and we're just going to see where it goes.
"I know I can beat Andre Ward. People are writing me off automatically straight away, but I am too big and too strong [for him].
"I haven't been in as many wars as people say I have, I've made a lot of hard fights very easy down the years, and I just believe I will beat him.
"If I beat him, what does that make me?"