The former heavyweight world champion is returning to the ring in June against Tyrrell Herndon and explained that he is interested in the prospect of a long-awaited bout against the Brit in 2026.

Wilder told 78SPORTSTV: "Not this year for sure, but in the near future. Maybe sometime next year.

"But all of that is close. I've just got to get myself back together first and foremost, and I have got to prove to myself that I am back together like I feel."

Wilder has struggled since being dethroned as WBC world champion by Tyson Fury back in 2020 and has a busy year planned once he has fought Herndon.

The US boxer said: "I like the opponent selection. The main goal is to get back out there and get things back together to see where I am.

"With all the things that have happened to me over the past few years, I think it's a great selection.

"We have got a lot of fights lined up for this year.

"We are looking to have maybe three this year. The next one is going to be a big one outside of the country.

"And then we are looking to do one more at the end of the year."

Wilder - who hasn't fought since losing to Zhilei Zhang last June - says his ultimate goal is to become undisputed world champion as he rebuilds his career after a number of injury problems.

He said: "We are still on a mission [to become undisputed].

"I was supposed to have achieved all these things a long time ago if I had the opportunities that others did...

"I've been on a journey with healing my shoulders. Anybody who knows about shoulder injuries will know that it is one of the longest processes that there is when it comes to an operation on the body.

"And I've had a shoulder injury twice... I've been dealing with pain for the last five years for 24 hours a day.

"But at this moment in time, I am pain-free."