Heavyweight contender Guido Vianello has offered to end the IBF’s ongoing search for Frank Sanchez’s next opponent.

Vianello (14-3-1, 12 KOs) is hard at work in his home city of Rome as he awaits his next opportunity, following the October stoppage of previously undefeated Alexis Barriere.

The 31-year-old had immediately called out Anthony Joshua in the wake of that win but, after the two-time world heavyweight champion opted to pursue a fight with Jake Paul instead, the Italian has switched his focus elsewhere.

Now he has opened the door to a clash with 33-year-old Sanchez (25-1, 18 KOs), who is currently awaiting news on his next opponent.

“Of course he is someone I would like to fight next,” Vianello told The Ring. “And I can fight him whenever and wherever they want.

“We are not far apart in the rankings and I know they are trying to find him an opponent. I will step in and bring my gladiator style.

“I am climbing the IBF rankings and I want to earn a shot at the world heavyweight title. I will go through Frank Sanchez to earn it.”

Sanchez, who lost his undefeated record to Agit Kabayel in Riyadh in May last year, got back to winning ways by stopping Ramon Olivas Echeverria on February 22.

And, as the IBF’s third-ranked contender, the sanctioning body are trying to set him up with a final eliminator for a shot at the title currently held by Oleksandr Usyk.

However they are still yet to find an opponent for the Cuban, after Daniel Dubois reportedly turned the fight down. Richard Torrez Jr., fourth in their rankings is an option but 10th-place Vianello says he is ready to go now.

“I just want to fight and I don’t want to waste any time like some other guys,” he added.

“[Lucius Annaeus] Seneca is a philosopher who spoke about being in the present and that’s what I do. He said be in the present all the time and that’s me.

“I am fully focused and hungry now because I don’t have extra time, I’m 31 now and working harder than ever. That’s why I will fight anyone they put in front of me.

“Now, I'm looking for a big opponent because I deserve it. I want a big fight now because I understand a lot of things clearly. I'm really ready to show everybody who I am.”

Vianello, who comes from a family of tennis players and coaches, insists he has now unlocked a new standard of training after returning home to train in Italy in the wake of his April defeat to Torrez Jr. He had previously spent time working with Kevin Barry in Henderson, Nevada and Abel Sanchez in Big Bear, California.

He said: “After Torrez I came back into the gym with my team and I said ‘OK, let’s do something I never did before in training camp’. They killed me for six months in the gym, wow.

“It was the worst training camp in my life, but also the best because when I arrived in Philadelphia to fight Barriere I was a real warrior. Nobody could beat me that night and this is how I will be for the rest of my career.

“Whether that is against Sanchez or Daniel Dubois or a rematch with Efe Ajagba, I will fight any of them. I’d love to be part of a Riyadh Season event because they are the home of the heavyweights.”

However, one opponent that Vianello can definitely rule out is Joshua, with his December 18 Netflix clash with former YouTuber Paul now confirmed. The Italian is praying that firm favourite Joshua does the business for the ‘good of boxing’.

“He is representing all boxers in that fight,” Vianello said.

“I think Joshua will win by KO and bring the balance back because I think boxing lost a bit of balance with Jake Paul. Maybe someone is not understanding what it means to be a real heavyweight.

“Some people think Paul is a top fighter so the balance needs to be brought back to where reality is. I hope Joshua is the man to fix that.”