With a month-long separation period from the sport which included an overseas vacation and a meeting with Pope Francis, Deontay Wilder is ready to return to the ring.

The unbeaten heavyweight titlist is already in the process of transitioning back into boxing mode ahead of a planned February 22 rematch with undefeated top-rated heavyweight Tyson Fury (29-0-1, 20KOs). A formal announcement is forthcoming on their highly anticipated sequel, with the pair of heavyweight behemoths already making plans on uninterrupted training camps for the occasion.

While England’s Fury has announced a switch in head coaches, Alabama’s Wilder will return to the same familiar faces—boxing-lifelong head coach Jay Deas and former-two-division champ-turned-trainer Mark Breland—and to familiar settings as he plans to open training camp at home around New Year’s Eve.

“I can’t wait,” Wilder (42-0-1, 41KOs) told BoxingScene.com of preparing for his first fight since a repeat knockout of Luis Ortiz (31-2, 26KOs) last month in Las Vegas. “I had a beautiful vacation (in Italy), we met Pope Francis, it was such a tremendous honor. I got to stand in The Colosseum—man, the whole journey was just checking off bucket list (items).

“My mind is right, now we ready to add my next highlight, baby. I’ve been holding the heavyweight division down when it comes to excitement. Whatever Tyson Fury wants to do with his career and whoever training him, all he’s doing is preparing himself to be added to my career highlight reel.”

A location has yet to be decided upon, although early whispers have part two taking place in Las Vegas and likely at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, which hosted Wilder’s aforementioned knockout win over Ortiz.

The first fight between Wilder and Fury came last December at Staples Center in Los Angeles, ending in a disputed 12-round draw but remaining best known for its wild 12th and final round. Wilder—who was trailing on two cards at the time, even after flooring Fury in round nine—scored a dramatic knockdown which was believed to have Fury out for the night. The hulking Brit miraculously peeled himself off of the canvas, capping a viral moment which provided an easy launch to promote the rematch to their Showtime Pay-Per-View headliner which generated roughly 325,000 buys.

It was believed the two would meet again in May, only for Fury to bail from negotiations at the 11th hour to instead sign with Top Rank and ESPN+. The move sent the pair of unbeaten heavyweights on separate paths, with Wilder scoring explosive knockouts over Dominic Breazeale and his aforementioned repeat win over Ortiz, while Fury snatched the unblemished records of Germany’s Tom Schwarz and Sweden’s Otto Wallin, both fights taking place in Las Vegas as did Wilder-Ortiz II.

The detour taken by Fury was met with frustration at the time by those eager for an immediate sequel, but will actually help make the upcoming rematch even bigger.

While not yet officially announced, the forthcoming Pay-Per-View show is expected to be a joint venture between ESPN and Fox Sports. The rare union figures to go a long way in creating the type of event befitting a heavyweight title fight, with Wilder due to make the 11th defense of the strap he collected in Jan. 2015.

Managing to remain fighting fit even through his overseas vacation and historical visits, the defending heavyweight rule is ready to put in the necessary work to rise to the occasion—and in his best effort to ensure his longtime rival doesn’t rise from the canvas this time around.

“Everything I throw will hurt him,” vows Wilder. “I can’t wait. It will be an amazing fight, an amazing night. All the work we put in this camp, will all lead to adding to my collection of memorable knockouts.”

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