WBA Welterweight champion Adrien Broner is considering his upcoming fight against Argentine hard-hitter Marcos Maidana as a stepping stone to fulfill his goal of matching or even surpassing the accomplishments of Floyd Mayweather Jr.

The 24-year-old Broner is all set to take on perhaps the biggest challenge of his boxing career as he faces one of the most dangerous brawlers in the welterweight division in Maidana.

After making a name for himself in the super featherweight and lightweight division, Broner joined Mayweather, Manny Pacquiao, Oscar De La Hoya and Miguel Cotto in the exclusive list of three-division world champions after dismantling Paulie 'the Magic Man' Malignaggi via unanimous decision in their 12-round title bout earlier this year. Now, Broner will try to prove his worth by defending the WBA Welterweight belt for the first time ever.

Surpassing Money May

Broner admitted in a recent interview that he has goals of becoming as big, if not bigger, than Mayweather as the top draw in boxing. The undefeated American boxer has shown flashes of brilliance in his previous bouts, though he hasn't been given a chance to prove his mettle against elite level opposition.

"Floyd took it to the next level. It's made me what to match what he's done or go past that," Broner said in an interview via Boxing News 24.

In order for Broner to backup his case as the heir-apparent to Mayweather's pound-for-pound throne, he has to come up with a better performance against Maidana on Saturday because his victory against Malignaggi didn't even impress boxing fans at all.

Against Maidana, Broner will be facing a huge, brawny welterweight with potent punching power in both hands. Maidana is a resilient, high-volume puncher who loves to go toe-to-toe at the center of the ring. Without a doubt, Broner will be tested in this match and it's up to him if he can withstand the pressure on Fight Night.

Mayweather vs. Broner in the Making

Mayweather is set to name his next opponent before the end of the week, and it would likely be Great Britain's top welterweight Amir Khan for his Cinco de Mayo fight date. After that showdown, Mayweather will have just three fights left in his six-bout deal with Showtime boxing.

Thought Broner insisted he has no plans to fight his mentor, anything can happen in boxing, especially if the lure of money is great enough. If everything falls in place, boxing fans can witness a Mayweather vs. Broner slugfest soon.