Carl Froch admitted retirement was on the cards if he had lost to Lucian Bute on Saturday night.
Defeat to Bute would have spelled the end for new IBF champion
Carl Froch admitted retirement was on the cards if he had lost to Lucian Bute on Saturday night.
As it happened Froch claimed the IBF super-middleweight title with a one-sided five round demolition job on the Romanian-born Canadian in Nottingham.
Froch paid tribute to his team, from long-time trainer and mentor Rob McCracken to Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn.
And he said a victory had never given him more pleasure - one that opens many doors for the future.
"I feel so happy, so elated," he told Sky Sports. "That performance, I'm giving it to Rob McCracken. I have a lot of conversations with Eddie Hearn and his dad Barry and they talk a lot of sense.
"They talk from the heart, and so does Rob for that matter. And because I've got that team around me it drives me on. I've got a little boy Rocco and a beautiful partner Rachel, and tonight I came here to do it for myself.
Retirement
"It was all or nothing. If I'd have lost tonight, I would have announced my retirement, that's how close it was. But with a performance like that, I'm just so excited about the future it's unbelievable."
Part of the deal to lure Bute to Nottingham was the agreement of an immediate rematch in Canada, but that must now be in doubt considering the one-sided nature of the fight.
"We knew this was all or nothing for Carl Froch, last chance saloon, it meant so much to him," said Eddie Hearn.
"We're contractually obliged to take the rematch - will they want the rematch? That was a real one-sided affair, a comprehensive beating.
"He deserves a holiday with his family, it's a proud day for Britain."
Froch had kind words for Bute, adding: "Big respect to Lucian. He's a great champion, undefeated world champion, everybody was saying how great he was, how he can punch, and let me tell you he can punch. He hit me with some good shots.
"I don't know what else to say, I'm elated."
