Patrick Teixeira has a pretty good idea for what would represent the biggest fight of his career.

For now, it’s the one standing in the way of his ultimate goal.

“I really want to become undisputed [154-pound] champion,” Teixeira told BoxingScene.com ahead of his upcoming Feb. 13 junior middleweight title defense versus Brian Castano. “I am here in the United States now and I want to keep fighting until I have all of the world titles.”

In theory, just one win would accomplish that goal. Teixeira (31-1, 22KOs) has held the WBO belt for more than a year, while Jermell Charlo (34-1, 18KOs) is the reigning WBC/WBA/IBF and lineal junior middleweight champ. First up for Brazil’s Teixeira is a mandatory title defense versus Argentina’s Castano (16-0-1, 12KOs), which will air live on DAZN from Fantasy Springs Casino in Indio, California.

Castaño enters the fight as an unbeaten former secondary titlist and a heavy betting favorite to end Teixeira’s title reign without a single successful defense. Such a feat would pave the way for a reasonable shot at an undisputed championship as Charlo and Castano both fight under the Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) banner.

Teixeira is represented by Golden Boy Promotions, who won the purse bid hearing to stage this fight. However, his title win came on a Top Rank-promoted show, outpointing unbeaten Carlos Adames in Nov. 2019 and Golden Boy has shown a willingness to work with any promoter for the right opportunity.

Positioning Teixeira on a path leading to junior middleweight supremacy would certainly be in everyone’s best interests. In order to get there, he needs to prevail in another title fight where most industry insiders don’t expect him to prevail.

“A fight with Jermell Charlo for all of the titles would be the most important fight of my career,” notes Teixeira. “I’m one step away from the biggest fight of my career.

“So that makes this fight with Brian Castano the biggest fight of my career right now.”

Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox