A Closer Look At George Groves

By Donald “Braveheart” Stewart

Over the last few years I have written a lot about former British, Commonwealth and European super middleweight champion, George Groves, 25-3, 18 KO’s. Mind you, Groves makes himself very newsworthy all the time and of late, has been back in the forefront.

Firstly, the Anthony Joshua/Wladimir Klitschko fight broke the previous box office record for people attending a single boxing match in the UK that had been set by Carl Froch/George Groves II.

Secondly, he had been seen at ringside telling a story of how he had called up his old nemesis, James DeGale, 23-1, 14 KO’s, to ask for a rematch, before bumping into him on camera. That video footage from iFL TV has gone viral as he and DeGale got into it a little at the side of the ring.

Thirdly, it has just been announced that Groves shall get into the ring once again to fight for a world title. This time he is on the Brook/Spence, JR. undercard in Sheffield on the 27th May for the WBA “super” title against Fedor Chudinov, 14-1, 10 KO’s.
Finally, the focus for his next fight has reminded us of his last fight, against German warrior of the ring, Eduard Gutknecht, 30-4-1, 13 KO’s, ended with a win for Groves before Gutknecht engaged in the biggest fight of his life as he slipped into a coma and is still struggling to walk and talk.

All in all, it has been a Grovestastic week or so.

Of course, the headlines only tell part of the story…

Groves, like Froch took the whole box office numbers thing in great form and they both knew that they were going to have their record broken at some point. Unlike Froch, Groves stayed at home to watch the fight, declaring that he had lost and did not want to revisit that experience like some ghoul.

The rematch with DeGale of the 2011 win he had against his old foe has been something he has been chasing for a while. DeGale is the world champion and till DeGale came unstuck with his draw with Badou Jack it made no sense to DeGale. If Groves dispatches Chudinov then the rematch becomes even more exciting as these two simply do not like each other. DeGale lost, not only in the professional ranks, but also in the amateur ranks to Groves so it hurts, rankles and annoys him.

Groves has managed to get into the 4th world title fight of his career following three world title losses. The losses were the massive fights and defeats to Froch and then his big chance in America fell apart in his split decision loss to Badou Jack. His return has been being particularly clever.

Firstly, he came back to the ring to take on Italian, Andrea Di Luisa, 17-4, 13 KO’s, who had little by way of pedigree, but enough about him to test if Groves still had the hunger.

Then he took on a young unbeaten gun from Scotland in David Brophy, 19-1-1, 3 KO’s, and beat him with a convincing stoppage in the 4th round. Brophy has just been to Melbourne to pick up a world title so he is no slouch.

Then he took on an old warrior in Martin Murray, 35-4-1, 16 KO’s, and outpointed him. Murray has slipped down a weight again, come back with a decent win and is now talking of world honors himself again having won the WBA middleweight intercontinental belt.

For Groves, another world title shot was not something he felt was his right, but certainly should be part of his destiny – he has always believed he would be world champion. The Chudinov fight is a great one for him and with Paul Smith, 38-6, 22 KO’s – Groves has already fought and beaten Smith – landing his own shot at world title glory as he has been announced to take on Tyron Zeuge, 20-0-1, 11 KO’s, for the WBA regular belt, Paul’s brother, Callum Smith, 22-0, 17 KO’s announced as fighting for the WBC belt against Anthony Direll, 30-1-1, 24 KO’s, the super middleweight division is awash with British title contenders.

What is also fascinating with Groves is his relationship with trainers. He went onto the first Froch fight just after splitting with long time trainer, Adam Booth. His new trainer Paddy Fitzpatrick took him through the two defeats to Froch before they entered the ring together for his Badou Jack fight. Groves was being told by Fitzpatrick, he was in the lead towards the end of the fight, but the scoring did not reflect that. Groves felt that, had he been told that he was neck and neck or losing he would have racked up the pressure and taken the fight. Just how galling that lack of advice was, was reflected in that split decision defeat and the parting of the ways with Fitzpatrick.

He goes into his 4th world title fight under the guidance of new trainer – at least since late 2015 – Shane McGuigan.

McGuigan and Groves shall both go into that fight with the blessing of the Gutknecht family. Groves has spoken of how this last fight and what happened thereafter has haunted him since the night that they fought. Gutknecht was in a coma last Christmas having undergone emergency brain surgery. Looking a lot like Nick Blackwell did after his fight with Chris Eubank, JR., Gutknecht left in the back of an ambulance. The fight was in November 2016.

Groves met the family afterwards and the love and hugs he got convinced him that such appreciation should be rewarded.

He is clear that this trauma has not dented his desire or his power and he is convinced that he shall take out his hopes of a world title on Chudinov before he sits back, relaxes and watches Kell Brook end up as triumphant as he shall be.

A win would see him likely to square off against the winner of the Zeuge/Smith fight as the WBA continue their clean-up of titles. Then surely comes the DeGale rematch. It might be odd that the winner of the last one is the guy who wants to do it again but that’s boxing! Groves reckons a return for him to Wembley would be good.

Time as they say shall tell…

[si-contact-form form=’2′]