Cuban southpaw stylist Erislandy Lara wants a fight with Limerick’s Andy Lee in early 2016 if both win their upcoming bouts.

‘The American Dream’ won gold at the 2005 World Championships before defecting from his native land to turn pro. Now 32, Lara holds a 21(12)-2(0)-2 record, with his two losses coming in controversial circumstances, against Saúl Álvarez and Paul Williams.

The Al Haymon-backed fighter currently holds the WBA ‘regular’ light middleweight title. While, normally, ‘regular’ titlists come under flak, the organisation’s ‘super’ champion is Floyd Mayweather Jr. – who has not defended the belt for nearly two years – meaning that most consider Lara a valid world champion.

Speaking to ESPN Deportes, Lara’s manager, Luis DeCubas, outlined his fighter’s plans:

“I think Erislandy will return in late October or early November. He is resting, waiting for the next opponent. The problem is that nobody wants to fight him after watching what he did with Canelo Alvarez, Austin Trout, and Alfredo Angulo. They recognized his potential. The good news is, he will remain active and sooner or later, he will end up facing these opponents.

On a move to middleweight, DeCubas explained that the southpaw is considering the jump to secure big opponents, as “he makes 154 perfect – but he would go to 160 if Andy Lee wins. He would fight Andy. And if that doesn’t happen, then we’d try to get a fight with Golovkin.”

WBO champion Lee fights mandatory challenger, Billy Joe Saunders, in a massive stadium bout at Thomond Park on September 19th, and the Castleconnell puncher would surely have no problems trading leather with Lara, should he defeat Saunders.