Anthony Joshua has targeted Deontay Wilder and Dillian Whyte in his pursuit of an opponent for his 13 April date at Wembley after clinically defeating Alexander Povetkin.
He showed greater maturity and further signs of improvement as he absorbed the Russian's aggression before adapting and ruthlessly stopping him in the seventh round to retain his WBA, WBO and IBF heavyweight titles.
Joshua had recovered from being hurt by a left hand in the opening round and initially boxed through a heavily bleeding nose as the 39-year-old Povetkin continued to both miss and land with further lefts.
It was from the third that the champion began to dictate the range and pace of the action, and the seventh when he changed the fight with a huge right hand before securing the stoppage after the first knockdown.
Povetkin had previously only lost to Wladimir Klitschko, and over the distance while the Ukrainian was at his peak, and while Joshua showed signs of vulnerability, his latest victory showed why many consider him the best in the world.
Wilder is scheduled to defend his WBC title against Tyson Fury on 1 December, but overlooking his domestic rival in favour of the American and Whyte, the 28-year-old Joshua said: "My number one [choice] would be Wilder. No contract's signed.
"[There's also a] mutual respect fighter to fighter, so if Dillian wants it then he's more than welcome. Let's finish the year on a high.
"We'll put a poll out on Twitter; anyone's welcome [as an opponent]. There's always complications and [mandatory] fights we have to do, but sport is about what the fans want.
"Alexander Povetkin is a very tough challenger; he proved that. But I've come in here to have fun, do what I've been working on in the gym and give it my best.
"I realised he was strong to the head, but I know that he was weak to the body, so instead of jabbing to the head, I was switching it up.
"He threw a good right, but let's not worry about that, that's out the way, let's figure out what's happening 13 April."
Meanwhile, Barry Hearn has warned rival boxing promoter Frank Warren that Joshua would not accept a 50-50 purse split for a prospective all-British super-fight against Tyson Fury, should he upset Wilder.
Hearn, head of Joshua's promoters Matchroom, responded furiously to an assertion from Warren on BBC 5 Live's Sportsweek programme that the pair would share the proceeds of the big-money bout.
Hearn, who watched Joshua dispatch Alexander Povetkin at Wembley on Saturday night, declared: "It's not a 50-50 split against the best heavyweight in the world - you can forget that completely."
Hearn believes Wilder will beat Fury in December, which would pave the way for what would appear to be a much more straight-forward series of negotiations with the American's camp.
And he turned his anger back on the show's presenter Garry Richardson, adding: "It's outrageous on national radio to try to agree terms to a commercial fight. You should know better, and Radio 5 should be ashamed of themselves.
"Wilder or Tyson Fury subject to terms on April 13, without a problem in the world - but you (Warren) will ask for a ridiculous amount of money and it won't be made."
Fury posted a video in Instagram after Joshua's bout, calling his English rival "ponderous and predictable" and saying he expected the champion to dodge a showdown regardless of the outcome of his bout with the American.
However, Warren insisted if Fury does pull off an upset over Wilder, Joshua will be unable to escape the pressure to square off against his long-time domestic rival.
"I believe Tyson Fury will be the winner of that fight so why on earth would anyone want to stand in its way?" added Warren.
"Everybody is sensible enough to make sure that big fights happen and I don't believe anybody will stop that fight from happening. The only person who can stop that fight happening is Anthony Joshua."
