Two-time super-middleweight championship contender George Groves does not have a liking for the now-retired Carl Froch.
Well, I wouldn’t like a guy that’s stopped me twice inside the distance, either. However, he has a right to be upset about how their first dance unfolded.
Groves beat his domestic rival from post-to-post during their first fight in November 2013, even dropping his man with a pair of beautifully timed shots in the opening round, but was seemingly robbed in the ninth round with a controversial stoppage but was seemingly robbed in the ninth round due to a controversial stoppage by referee Howard John Foster.
Froch had Groves in trouble no doubt, but Groves was not in any sign of danger – he was holding and firing back – which merited a rematch.
Although the fight was close, Froch caught Groves with a big right hand in the eighth round and referee Charlie Fitch halted the bout.
Groves (21-2, 16 KO’s) hasn’t allowed two setbacks to thwart his dream of becoming a world champion. After back-to-back victories over the likes of Christopher Rebrasse and Denis Douglin, Groves has put himself back in title contention.
On Sept. 12, on the Mayweather-Berto undercard, Groves hopes the third time is a charm when he fights newly-crowned WBC titlist Badou Jack, who is coming off a majority decision victory over former champion Anthony Dirrell in April.
While promoting the fight, the topic of Froch came up, and Groves delivered his vintage, forthright deliberation.
“I’m not surprised he retired,” Grove told Fight Hype. “He hasn’t boxed for a year now. He wanted to fight in Vegas. He wanted to handpick opponent. Since then, he had to vacate his IBF title. He was stripped of his title by the WBA.
“It’s probably about time that he retired before I win a belt, and everyone starts talking about me and him fighting again. He’ll soon be forgotten. I don’t like him. We’ve got nothing in common.”
Groves is clearly upset that he had two opportunities to win and came up on the short end of the stick on both attempts.
If Groves wins on Sept. 12, could he theoretically lure Froch back into the ring for a third fight? I think he would have to get an impressive knockout of Badou Jack for that to happen, though,
Jack has been knocked out in the first round before. He was knocked out by Derek Edwards in February 2014 but has rebounded to win his last three.
