Froch, 37, has been linked to a huge fight in the US, along with possible retirement after his crushing win over George Groves in May, but unless DeGale produces something special against Marco Periban on November 22, it looks likely ‘The Cobra’ will pass on a fight in 2015.
“It’s not a fight that motivates me if I am being honest and it’s one that does not really tick boxes for fans of the sport and the general public,” Froch told the Nottingham Post.
“That’s the feedback I have been getting because they are looking at him saying DeGale lost to George Groves who then lost to Carl Froch.
“Let’s face it, my last fight was the biggest in the history of boxing in this country since the war.”
“It was in front of 80,000 people, on the biggest stage possible, and it ended so memorably for me with a fantastic knockout.
“Facing James DeGale, who has not earned his stripes, is not something that will make me want to get up at 6am in the morning and start running.
“My legacy is worth much more than that because if I am not motivated for a fight, as what happened with Groves in the first meeting, then it shows.
“But if De Gale goes out and produces a heck of a performance next month and people start saying ‘I think DeGale could give Froch a real test’ then I’ll have a look again.
“The pressure is all on him,” he added.
DeGale is treading water against Mexico’s Periban having already worked his way into the IBF mandatory position for Froch, although the International Boxing Federation don’t expect a decision from the champion until December 31.
That leaves DeGale needing to either make a huge statement in defeating Periban on the Cleverly v Bellew II bill in Liverpool, or find an alternative route to what would be the Londonder’s first world title chance in the coming year.
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