Darren Till is making a run at the welterweight championship, and to do so, the powerhouse striker knows he'll have to knock off an established contender to get his shot. This is why he's put his focus on a showdown with Stephen "Wonderboy" Thompson.

The former kickboxing champion turned mixed martial artist has been a staple in the 170-pound upper tier for quite some time and has twice competed for the division's championship strap. Granted, both attempts came up short, but those efforts haven't diminished Thompson's standing as one of the divisional elite in the crowded welterweight collective.

Till, on the other hand, is a hungry up-and-comer rampaging his way up the ladder. 

The undefeated Englishman picked up considerable heat by steamrolling an established star in Donald Cerrone in his most recent outing back in October. Till drubbed "Cowboy" in a lop-sided performance, and this put him in position to draw one of the biggest names in the welterweight ranks. And with that, "The Gorilla" has a lot of options, but there's only one name he wants to see on the contract.

“I want to fight ‘Wonderboy,'” Till told the Obviously Fight Talk podcast this week.

“I don’t see ‘Wonderboy’ as a guy who’s going to neglect fights...” Till continued. “But, you know, he’s got to fight me sooner than later, because he’s up there in the top three. So why doesn’t he just fight me now?

“He’s a world-class striker, he really is. Good guy, he’s respectful, but I know I beat him. And I know it’s a fight that’s good for the public. He likes to stand and bang, and I like to stand and bang. And I just believe I’m a superior striker.”