Deontay Wilder, Vyacheslav Glaskov in talks for heavyweight title fight on Jan. 16

Deontay Wilder's next fight could be his toughest title defense yet.

The WBC heavyweight champion will return to the ring on Jan. 16 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., and discussions are underway for him to meet Vyacheslav Glazkov, according to persons with knowledge of the talks. The persons requested anonymity due to the delicate nature of the negotiations.

Glazkov (21-0-1, 13 KOs) represented Ukraine in the 2008 Olympic Games and would be a massive step up in competition from Wilder's last two fights, stoppage wins over journeymen Eric Molina and Johann Duhaupas. The 31-year-old Glazkov is coming off a fourth-round KO of Kertson Manswell in August, a win that followed a controversial decision victory over Steve Cunningham earlier in the year on HBO.

"I would love the fight," Glazkov's manager, Egis Klimas, told Paste BN Sports on Saturday, adding that he was unaware of any talks and hadn't been contacted about the matchup yet. "I think it would be a great fight for the heavyweight division and I hope the fight can happen."

Wilder (35-0, 34 KOs) won the title with an impressive decision victory over Bermane Stiverne in January. The 2008 Olympic bronze medalist has proven to be a big draw in his native Alabama, but it remains to be seen how many fans he'll attract in New York.

Wilder's next appearance is set to be his final voluntary defense before he faces mandatory challenger Alexander Povetkin. The Russian, who wanted one more tune-up fight, cleared the way for a Wilder bout Wednesday with a TKO of Mariusz Wach.