Vladimir Klitschko was pleased by the way he finished Saturday's bout against Calvin Brock and eager to start the daunting quest of unifying the fractured heavyweight division.
"I'm not interested in staying in the sport to just keep fighting," Klitschko told reporters after stopping the previously unbeaten American in the seventh round at Madison Square Garden to retain his International Boxing Federation crown.
"I am interested in unifying the titles. I think the heavyweight division needs a real champion."
That is easier said than done. The brutal work in the ring is the easiest part. Negotiations, options, deals, and back-room politicking are the grimier side of the business.
Klitschko, a former World Boxing Organisation heavyweight title holder and 1996 Olympic gold medallist, vowed that his next bout would be against one of the other three fighters who own a world championship belt.
"I do not consider myself as a real champion," the 6-foot-6 Ukrainian said.
"Only the guy who will unify the titles will be respected. My goal is to get unification, and my goal is to get my next fight as a unification fight.
"It doesn't matter with whom - (WBA champion Nikolai) Valuev, (WBO title holder) Shannon Briggs or (WBC champion Oleg) Maskaev."
Klitschko is in the rather unique situation of controlling his fight schedule through his K2 Promotions company, which he operates with his brother, the former heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko.
Two of the other heavyweight champions are in the stable of notorious wheeler-dealer Don King (Briggs and Valuev), while Maskaev is promoted by Dennis Rappaport.
"It's easy for me to say what I want to do," Klitschko, 30, said. "I don't have a promoter for whom I have to fight so I can make my own decisions."
King, who holds a part interest in Valuev with Germany's Sauerland Events, has announced he wants to stage a heavyweight unification tournament.
Briggs, who won the WBO crown the weekend before last by knocking out holder Sergei Liakhovich in the final seconds of the last round, showed up at Klitschko's post-fight presser to push his case to be next in line for the big Ukrainian.
"You were supposed to fight Shannon Briggs tonight," he called out to the victor, referring to a contract squabble that led to Saturday night's match-up.
"But they chose to fight Calvin Brock. They got the result they wanted."
The heavyweight picture is so scrambled that four-times champion Evander Holyfield is on a mission at age 44 to get another shot at the crown, and former champion Lennox Lewis told reporters that if the money was right he would fight Klitschko.
"Don King promised to make a tournament and to get unification and I hope he will hold his promise," Klitschko said.
"I'm ready to fight those champions in the next fight. Let's get a real heavyweight champion.
"I am a fan of boxing and I wish to see a person who will hold all titles and who will be respected as the heavyweight champion.
"Let's get it done."