Carl Froch has claimed that George Groves must prove he can hold his own against higher-calibre opponents before he is willing to meet him in the ring.
Groves is targeting a showdown with the winner of the super-middleweight clash between Froch and Mikkel Kessler, but the Nottingham-born scrapper believes that the 24-year-old does not yet deserve a title shot.
"I don't think anyone will take what he's saying seriously. He needs to beat someone of note," Froch told talkSPORT.
"He needs to fight a name, and come through it with style, for anyone to take him seriously. It's not going to sell at the minute. If you announced tomorrow that Carl Froch is going to defend his title against George Groves, people would say, 'George who'?
"When Eddie Hearn's finished with him and he's fought a notable fighter like Arthur Abraham or Lucian Bute then that would set up a fight."
Froch went on to say that Groves is jumping the gun because he is seeking a big payday, but insisted he has respect for the fighter.
"It could be a good fight but not yet. He's blowing his horn early because he wants to get paid. I'm not saying I don't take him seriously. I take every fight seriously," he added.
"I've done quite a few rounds sparing with George Groves, so in know what's got and I know his capabilities. I'm not going to rubbish them because he's a fighter and I'll give him respect."
Froch will take on Kessler at London's O2 Arena on May 25.
