Eddie Hearn has branded James DeGale's tenure as world champion as a "shambles" and believes any comeback will be dependent on the his desire to fight again .
DeGale, 31, lost his IBF super-middleweight world title on Saturday after he suffered a shock defeat at the hands of American Caleb Truax.
When questioned about DeGale's loss, Hearn voiced his disappointment at the news but criticised the Brit for some his career choices, especially his decision to operate without a promoter as a free agent.
"Let me tell you what happens when you are a free agent: nobody gives a f--- about you," Hearn told iFL TV. "I'm not talking about the public, I'm talking about in the business.
"You want to go into a fight in a voluntary defence and not have a rematch clause? What are you playing at? Who's responsible for that? You know why? Because he doesn't have a promoter.
"It's been a shambles since he won that world title."
In the lead up to his last fight, the 31-year-old told ESPN that he was targeting future bouts against either George Groves or Chris Eubank Jr., with the latter stating that the dethroned champion had "let down British boxing" after Saturday's fight.
After all the trash talk & disrespectful comments @jamesdegale1 you go & put on a display like that!! All I can say is WOW!!! You have properly let down British Boxing #Shameful
— Chris Eubank Jr (@ChrisEubankJr) December 9, 2017
"They [potential fights with the pair] are in a terrible position," Hearn added. "They're probably dead, but they're certainly dead in terms of how much he's going to get [split of the purse].
"It would have been hard enough as him as world champion."
Following the fight, DeGale said that he would take some time out to reconsider his future in the sport with suggestions that he could be headed to an early retirement.
Despite voicing his hopes that DeGale will return from the setback, Hearn admitted that he does not expect to see the super-middleweight in the ring again.
"I'm not sure he'll fight again," Hearn said. "If you're not in love with the sport, if you're cutting corners, if you're not living the life, it will catch up with you
"Unless he has the desire to come back, he should leave the sport. He needs some time to get his head around the defeat.
"He's hurting right now, and so he should be. He should be eating people like Truax for breakfast."