The camp of newly-crowned World Boxing Organization lightweight champion Ruslan Provodnikov is eyeing a showdown with Juan Manuel Marquez in 2014.

Vadim Kornilov, the manager of the Russian champion, told Boxingscene that Marquez is their top choice for Provodnikov's first title defense.

Kornilov also added that the Mexican boxing icon will have no choice but to face Provodnikov if Manny Pacquiao ends up facing Floyd Mayweather Jr. in a mega-buck showdown next year or a rematch with undefeated American Timothy Bradley.

"If a compromise is reached and Pacquiao fights Mayweather or Bradley, Marquez will have to fight Ruslan Provodnikov because that would be the only remaining fight for Marquez that people would actually want to see on HBO pay-per-view," Kornilov said.

Provodnikov could also face Brandon Rios, who just lost to Pacquiao almost two weeks ago, but Kornilov believes that the American brawler will avoid a showdown with his client.

"Brandon Rios vs. Ruslan would also be one of the most fan friendly fights out there right now, but I think Rios might avoid Ruslan even if offered more money for this fight. I think that Marquez has a lot of that Mexican warrior spirit in him and he will fight the best out there right now even thought it might be more risky than other fights he could take," Kornilov stated.

In case their preferred showdown with Marquez fails to materialize, Kornilov said that they would also consider facing Bradley in a rematch, adding that a Provodnikov-Bradley rematch is more appealing than a Bradley-Marquez rematch because the Mexican was clearly dominated by Bradley.

Bradley scored a close decision victory over Provodnikov last March in their showdown for the American WBO welterweight crown.

"Ruslan facing Timothy Bradley again is another great fight for us and we're definitely open to that fight.  More importantly, it would be a rematch that people would want to see much more than a rematch between Marquez and Bradley which was clearly a one sided fight," Kornilov said.