By David Beniuk

Daniel Geale's team are targeting a unifying world title by the end of 2012 to add to the IBF middleweight belt the Australian retained in Hobart on Wednesday night.

Geale will head to the US for his next bout, likely to be against No.1-ranked Argentine Sergio Martinez, following a unanimous points decision over Ghanaian Osumanu Adama.

But powerful promoter Gary Shaw appears to be eyeing the WBO belt held by Russian Dmitry Pirog before the year is out.

Shaw said he would meet US pay television giants HBO and Showtime on his return home to set up a lucrative next fight for Geale.

He said he would have little trouble getting a title-holder to agree to fight the 31-year-old Tasmanian.

"When I get back, I'll have meetings with HBO and Showtime, try to get a date for Daniel Geale on American TV, possibly to fight Sergio Martinez, possibly Pirog the WBO champion," Shaw said.

"Things are getting tougher out there for TV dates which will probably help force those type of fights.

"It shouldn't take long. We should be able hopefully to unify a title at the end of 2012 or certainly no later than 2013."

Shaw said a fight against former undisputed champ Jermain Taylor would also be attractive to American TV.

"There's history there. He was a 2000 Olympian here in Sydney. Daniel Geale was a 2000 Olympian. I think it would be a very interesting fight.

"He doesn't have the belt but it would be a fight that American TV would be very interested in."

Geale said he was ready to go to the next level.

"A lot of people talk about moving on to bigger and better things, but we are going to do it," he said.

"My man over here Gary is going to be setting up some big fights in the future so it's all about being challenged now.

"You've got so many great fighters out there in the middleweight division. I want to fight them."

The opportunities are also growing for Sydneysider Billy Dib, who retained his IBF featherweight title against Mexican Eduardo Escobedo.

"They say they want TV fighters. I think I proved today that I'm a marquee TV fighter," Dib said.

"I'm not motivated by money. I'm about making history.

"We've got great fighters like Jeff Fenech who left an unbelievable aura. You've got people like Lionel Rose, all these great champions, Anthony Mundine, Danny Green, Kostya Tszyu, Vic Darchinyan.

"I'm trying to beat their records."