Fully aware of the daunting fact that Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury, the two leading figures for British boxing over the past decade, won't be around forever, Kalle Sauerland is making moves to ensure the sport's landscape isn't left barren following their impending retirements.

Sauerland, Wasserman's Global Head of Boxing, has promoted some of the biggest names in the sport over the past 20 years and was instrumental in the implementation of the Super Six World Boxing Classic (2009-2010) and World Boxing Super Series (2017-2020) tournaments.

The 47-year-old now fronts boxing on terrestrial TV in a deal with Channel 5 in the UK, with the likes of Harlem Eubank, Josh Kelly and Michael Conlan fighting under the Wasserman banner.

Eubank arguably carries the biggest name, and is now routinely walked to the ring by his legendary uncle Chris Eubank Sr. Sauerland realises this, and though he's aware fights with names such as Jack Catterall and Adam Azim, two fighters who have been discussed as potential opponents for Harlem, are high-profile in the short-term, the German-born promoter is thinking long-term.

Sauerland tells The Ring: "It's a very special honour to be representing free TV boxing in an amazing market like the United Kingdom and I think given the amount of sort of Fight of the Year contenders, Knockout of the Year contenders we've produced in that time, I feel very, very happy and, I think there's been a rise of many, many talents on Channel 5 over the last decade. Look back at Tyson Fury, we've obviously had Josh Kelly and Harlem [Eubank] come through the platform, too.

"What we won't do is sort of sit here and try and pluck fights out of nowhere [for Eubank] and at random for the sake of it, because we've got a great platform for him at the moment. I'm very happy with that and we're getting numbers as his market value grows.

"I think we were going at a really nice pace before the Azim discussions. I just want to get back in the groove of that.

"It's about the top 15s now, I'd say. You know, I'm always partial to a nice name from America as well."

The conversation moves onto a broader topic. One which confronts the fact that boxing in the United Kingdom will no longer be propped up by the superstar shoulders of Joshua and Fury, for much longer.

At the beginning of the year, weeks after his rematch defeat to Oleksandr Usyk, Fury retired for the umpteenth time, and though it remains likely he'll be back sooner rather than later, he's closer to his 40s than he is his 30s.

The same goes for Joshua. A pay-per-view, must-see attraction who's sold out football stadiums on seven occasions. An Olympic gold-medallist-turned-poster boy for the paid ranks. Two-time world champion, a generation inspired and millions and millions of pounds to show for his efforts.

He, too, has only a couple of fights left, perhaps.

"Then what?" Sauerland asks.

"When you look at, you know, the importance of planting the seed for, let's say, the next generation of stars in the United Kingdom. Look at the top fighters in the UK right now, walk down the road and pull someone on the side of the road, 'name three UK boxers?', I don't know, Tyson Fury, AJ, and then you start probably getting a random on the third one.

"But two of the three certainly will be retired in a year or so at least.

"So it's like, who is the next crop? Who's the next three, four stars? The market doesn't hold more than three or four top stars. And I think top stars, I mean, at the highest end of pay-per-view fights, so maybe five, maybe five max names at a time. But other than that, you show me in the history books when it's held more."

Eddie Hearn and Matchroom Boxing, perhaps sensing the sport would be left with a golden goose-sized hole in it after Joshua makes his exit, have made a push to promote Paris 2024 Olympian Pat Brown in a similar way they did Joshua when he turned professional.

The difference is Brown didn't win gold at a home Olympics like Joshua. His professional debut, though a successful, exciting headliner, was streamed live on DAZN, while Joshua's main-evented the O2 Arena on Sky.

Cruiserweight Brown, who will likely fill into a heavyweight frame at some point in the future, may prove to be the goods, but it'll be a while before we truly know the kind of crossover appeal he holds.

"Tell me, who do you think is going to be next?" Sauerland asks. "Who's that top star in three years' time or two years' time?

Brown is a thought. Azim and Queensberry heavyweight Moses Itauma are two other names who may fill the void.

"It's very difficult to say," he adds. But it's massively important. You just need the stars to align.

"And when I say top five, I don't mean talent. I'm talking about star quality. You know, Eubank Jr. I worked with him for nine years. Everyone knows he hasn't won a world title, but he's got the ability to be in big fights like the Conor Benn one. So boxing's a tricky one like that."

Eubank Jr and Benn are two big names in their own right. The pair are set to clash in The Ring's FATAL FURY: City of the Wolves event on April 26 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Approaching the age of 36, Eubank Jr is the bookies' favourite. Despite being cleared of failing two drug tests conducted by Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA), Benn is still in the process of regaining trust with the British boxing public, and one wonders where he goes with his career if he's beaten badly by his rival.

Sauerland, however, is hopeful, but quietly confident, the future is bright, and he can play his part in making British boxing's future a fruitful and highly lucrative one.

"I've done this for 27 years," he says. "So I've had times when you've got almost too many and then you've got other times when you just can't do anything right.

"I've had fighters also who've won numerous world titles, but after their career, they still have to work.

"You've got to have the right team around you. We're nicely set up for the future with really interesting names and characters, you know, who are at the top of the rankings, but also have those personalities, which is more and more important today.

"Before, you could get away with a boring personality, now, absolutely not."