James DeGale is inspired by the prospect of emulating Joe Calzaghe when he fights Badou Jack in a super-middleweight unification match-up on January 14.
The IBF champion meets WBC belt-holder Jack at New York's Barclays Center in a fight that will unify two of the four 168lb titles and establish which of the two is truly the division's number one.
Calzaghe was the last from Great Britain to prove himself the world's leading super-middleweight - the division has long been a glamourous one in which Chris Eubank, Nigel Benn and Carl Froch as well as Ireland's Steve Collins have also excelled - and is also widely considered the isles' greatest ever at any weight.
Froch was long respected but was never established as the division's premier fighter after losing his chance to do so against Andre Ward. Calzaghe, in contrast, proved he was top dog by defeating Kessler in 2007, and it is this DeGale has in mind as he prepares for the 33-year-old Jack, who overcame DeGale's rival George Groves in 2015.
"Growing up, Calzaghe, and Prince Naseem Hamed, they're the ones I used to watch and think 'I can't wait to do that'," DeGale told Press Association Sport.
"To emulate him, and become the proper champ, will mean everything.
"Calzaghe's one of my favourite fighters. He's a bit similar to me. He's a southpaw, throws a lot of punches. He's another one who didn't get the full credit he was due until after he retired. But that's how boxing is.
"I've got to perform. My last couple of performances haven't been vintage James DeGale. This is the best fighting the best, the champ fighting the champ: this is proper."
It was only after a sensational performance against Jeff Lacy in 2006 - in another unification fight - that doubts surrounding Calzaghe's ability began to disappear.
The Welshman had already been a world champion for almost nine years, and the 30-year-old DeGale - who became Britain's first Olympic gold medallist to win a world title - believes he similarly does not get the credit he deserves..
"I don't get the respect," he said. "I made a bit of history. If I unify the division, going across the pond, no one's ever done that in Britain.
"This is the one. I get love and support, I do have my fans, but it just feels like I look around at different fighters who haven't done half what I've done and they get so much more recognition.
"I don't get the credit: the full recognition, I don't. But after this fight, people will start respecting and knowing I'm the best."
