Ben Edwards and Duke Didier are both eyeing the UFC octagon while Australian middleweight boxing champion Dave Toussaint wants to crack the top 15 in the world by the end of 2018.

But who is Canberra's favourite fighting son? For that, just ask Didier.

"There's a few things floating around about who is Canberra's favourite fighting son, we'll just chuck that in the paper that I am Canberra's favourite fighting son," Didier laughed.

"Speak to either one of them and they will give you a different answer."

Edwards is one of Didier's best mates and wasn't surprised at all by that response - laughing it was "shocking" to hear that from a former Commonwealth Games judo representative that oozes confidence.

"You've got to give it to Dave for what he's done recently. I've only just come back but I dug myself a pretty deep hole," Edwards said.

"You've got to give the crown to Dave and even though Duke is coming off a loss, he is the Brace light heavyweight champion and he's the main event on the next show. It can be subjective but I'm definitely not the number one guy at the moment - but hopefully my day shall return."

Toussaint jokes there is "no doubt" Didier says he's the top dog, but he says they've both got a fair way to go if they're going to emulate Edwards - a former kickboxing superstar and Australian heavyweight boxing champion.

The UFC octagon could be as little as 12 months away for Edwards (2-0), having been told a 4-0 start to his mixed martial arts could be enough to secure a contract.

Didier (6-1) is eyeing the same stage and soon they'll take their next step together at a landmark event for mixed martial arts in Canberra - alongside other members of their growing "scrap pack".

Edwards will fight for the Brace heavyweight championship against Kym Robinson, while Didier will defend his light heavyweight belt against an opponent to be confirmed at the AIS Arena on March 3.

"He's going to hate me for saying this, but I was a kid and I literally walked up to Ben Edwards and introduced myself in the cab rank," Didier said.

"I was like 'my name is Duke and I want to fight like you'. I shouldn't rap him, but he was the best bloke ever about it.

"Now I'm defending my Australian title on the same show that he is fighting for a heavyweight belt.

"I think it's pretty cool that what started as a young kid pestering Ben Edwards in the cab rank has ended up with two Australian title fights in the AIS Arena, a scrap pack and a whole thing going.

"Me, Dave and Ben, we're all very good mates first and foremost. The other thing is, Dave's dad Dean was my first boxing coach. He tells me I'm not allowed to say he was my boxing coach because my boxing is not good enough yet.

"We're all really good mates. That's the coolest thing about the whole thing, we're all on the same page, we're all good mates and we all just want all of us to to do the best for each other.

"It's not cutthroat at all, if one of us does good, all of us do good and it's good for Canberra."

For Toussaint (12-0 with eight knockouts), an Australian title win marked the end of years of agonising close losses in the amateurs that robbed him of national gold.

He overcame shoulder surgery to beat Shane Mosley Jr on the undercard of the Jeff Horn-Manny Pacquiao showdown in Brisbane in July and announce himself to the world.

If 2017 was the biggest year of his career, 2018 is shaping up to be an absolute monster.

"By the end of this year I've got a goal to be top 15 in the world," Toussaint said.

"Canberra is going off at the moment, it seems to have a lot of good fighters. Benny used to do boxing with me and trained with me for a fair bit so I know him and Duke pretty well. It's good to see them doing well as well. Hopefully they get to the UFC.

"A lot can happen in a year."

Edwards says if Toussaint reaches the pinnacle, it couldn't have happened to a better person.

"You get your stereotypes of fighters but honestly most fighters are really good people. Dave is certainly one of those dudes, he's just a humble electrician and by far the best boxer I've been in the ring with, he's an absolute gun," Edwards said.

"I hope he keeps getting big fights on the world stage like he did on the [Jeff Horn versus Manny] Pacquaio undercard."