Jack Della Maddalena’s brief reign as welterweight champion ended in November with a unanimous decision loss to Islam Makhachev and now he’s eyeing a big comeback fight to get himself straight back into the title picture.

“Nothing locked in. Just waiting,” Della Maddalena told N3ON in a recent interview. “I don’t know. I would like to fight Shavkat Rakhmonov. I’ve always wanted to fight him, but whether that happens or not, I don’t know.

“….Otherwise, maybe Michael Morales or Carlos Prates, one of those guys.”

Maddalena went on to express his desire to fight his way back to a rematch with the champion Makhachev as soon as possible, hence the reason for his eagerness to fight a top contender straight away.

“That’d be the dream,” Della Maddalena said of a potential Makhachev rematch. “That’s why I want to fight Shavkat, because beating someone like him, you get thrown right back in there.”

The undefeated Rakhmonov had been earmarked for a title shot, but the No.2 ranked contender has now been out of action injured for over a year, so it’s becoming less certain that he will still be next in line when he is ready to return.

Still, if it ends up not being Rakhmonov then Maddalena’s other options make sense, and he likes the sound of the Prates match-up.

“That would be a good fight,” JDM told N3ON. “Let’s go. I’m in.

“He’s got good striking. I reckon I’d finish him. It would have to be a five-rounder, for sure. … That would be sick.”