Martin Murray: Working Toward Big Fights w/DeGale & Groves

06/25/201506/25/2015 Olly Campbell

He makes his debut under the Matchroom promotional banner tomorrow night in Liverpool, fighting up at 168 lb for the very first time against Georgia’s George Beroshvili in what is something of an “easing into the division” fight – yet Martin Murray has his sights on the division’s big-guns – and is hopefully looking towards big money-fights with new IBF champion James DeGale and WBC mandatory George Groves in the none too distant future.

Murray, who extended Gennady Golovkin further than any man previously when he took him 11 rounds in Monaco back in February, spoke to iFLtv about his fight tomorrow night – and just what lies in store beyond that.

Groves v Jack Possibly On Mayweather Undercard

06/16/2015 Olly Campbell

After he upset Anthony Dirrell to take the WBC 168 lb strap out in Chicago recently, it was clear Sweden’s Money Team member and new champion Badou Jack would be facing mandatory challenger George Groves (who had stepped aside to allow Jack to face Dirrell) in his very next outing.

When Groves’ promoter Sauerland Event announced that a deal had been reached between concerned parties faster than expected back in May, it became apparent that the Brit would be traveling Stateside, though an exact date and venue are still to be confirmed.

Super-Middleweight: The British Battleground

05/22/2015 Michael McEwan

Nigel Benn- Michael Watson- Chris Eubank: three names that perhaps do not signify pound for pound pedigree but a trifocal of British pugilists that waged successive wars against each other across the early nineties. Frankly, any boxing purism would have been out of place in a hellish round robin of barbaric contests between the trio predicated upon genuine animosity and bloodlust that were more reminiscent of trench warfare than of any sporting endeavour. For the pleasured served up, tolls were taken, with Michael Watson suffering a cruel brain injury in his bout with Chris Eubank that would permanently alter his life. Speak to the irrepressible Watson today though and not a modicum of self-pity or regret will be detected in his attitude.

Is Badou Jack A Better Fight For George Groves?

04/25/201504/25/2015 Olly Campbell

Before last night’s upset Stateside, there was one fighter who had been keeping a careful eye on proceedings between Anthony Dirrell (27-1-1, 22ko) and Badou Jack(19-1-1,12ko) and that was Britain’s “St.” George Groves, mandatory challenger to the WBC 168lb strap.

Groves (21-2,16ko) had originally stepped aside to let Dirrell make a voluntary defence of the belt, a move that backfired on the Michigan fighter spectacularly when he dropped a MD to “The Money Team” fighter by scores of 114-114, 115-113 and 116-112.

Froch vacates today. DeGale vs Groves 2 on the cards?

02/02/201502/02/2015 James Sexton

The Mirror has reported that WBA/IBF super-middleweight champion Carl Froch will be forced to vacate his IBF strap today as he has failed to set up a fight with the mandatory challenger in James DeGale. This did not seem to be the case of Froch being afraid to fight DeGale, on the contrary he has been looking to find himself a farewell fight in Vegas against Julio Cesar Chavez Jr, nevertheless this title will be up for grabs in the coming months and as DeGale is the first in line he will be fighting for it. The number two ranked fighter by the IBF is American Andre Dirrell, brother of WBC champ Anthony Dirrell. This is an exiting proposition as we could have brothers both as title holders in the same weight class.

Groves with tough task in facing Anthony Dirrell, says Froch

01/12/2015 Bill Phanco

IBF/WBA super middleweight champ Carl Froch sees a tough road for his recent knockout victim George Groves (21-2, 16 KOs) if and when he faces WBC super middleweight champion Anthony Dirrell (27-0-1, 22 KOs) in the United States. Froch thinks that the 26-year-old Groves could have problems if he fights Dirrell in the U.S, although it’s hard to see why it would be any different than it would be if the fight were to take place elsewhere.

Groves doesn’t have to fight Dirrell in order to get a title shot. He can wait until Froch gives up his IBF title, and then face James DeGale for the vacant strap or look to fight the winner of DeGale vs. Andre Dirrell for the title.

George Groves faces Denis Douglin on 11/22 on Sky Box Office

10/23/201410/23/2014 Jeff Sorby

On November 22nd, #1 WBC George Groves (22-2, 15 KOs) will be in action against southpaw Denis Douglin (17-3, 10 KOs) in a 12 round bout at the Echo Arena in Liverpool, UK. This fight is to get Groves ready for a title shot against the southpaw WBC super middleweight champion Anthony Dirrell in 2015.

Whether a guy in Douglin’s class can help Groves get ready for someone like Dirrell remains to be seen.

Groves wants to look good in this fight, and steal the spotlight from the headliner fight between Tony Bellew vs. Nathan Cleverly. It’s going to be tough for Groves to accomplish that if his fight turns out to be a one-sided mismatch. You have to realize that Douglin has been dominated by the likes of Jermell Charlo, Jose Angel Rodriguez and Doel Carrasquillo in the past.

The Return of the Saint

09/22/201409/22/2014 Ryan Forde-Kelly

George Groves has been blessed with what would appear, to this writer at least, to be a special kind of self-confidence, an inner belief that sets him apart and will be lead him to World Title in the not too distant future. This assertion typified by his immediate return to the scene of what was the most harrowing night of his boxing career.

I don’t think it’s a coincidence that Wembley Arena was chosen for the second fight under the Sauerland banner. The decision to meet his demons head on, one typical of George Groves, who for my money, still believes completely that he’s got Froch’s number. That might sound deluded to some and for what it’s worth I make him wrong, but it’s this very mentality that can propel ‘The Saint’ to the top.

Groves asks Froch for fight, and gets turned down

09/22/201409/21/2014 Jeff Sorby

George Groves (20-2, 15 Kos) asked IBF/WBA super middleweight champion Carl Froch a fight last night following Groves’ 12 round unanimous win over EBU super middleweight champion Christopher Rebrasse (22-3-3, 6 KOs) at the Wembley Arena in London, UK.

While Groves was being interviewed after the fight by Sky Sports, Groves spotted Froch outside of the ring and bluntly asked him for a fight, but Froch wasn’t having any of it as he told him that he’d already beaten him twice and there was no point in the fight.

Groves asking Froch for a fight took away from Groves’ moment because it was obvious that Froch was going to turn him down because he wasn’t thrilled at the idea of fighting Groves a second time after all the trash talking he’d done before their first fight.

Groves: I don’t think Anthony Dirrell can stand up to my power

09/21/201409/20/2014 Jeff Sorby

George Groves (20-2, 15 KOs) captured the EBU super middleweight title tonight in beating champion Christopher Rebrasse (22-3-3, 6 KOs) by a 12 round unanimous decision in their WBC super middleweight eliminator fight at Wembley Stadium in London, UK.

Groves is now on a crash course for a title shot against WBC super middleweight champion Anthony Dirrell (27-0-1, 22 KO. Groves thinks that Dirrell would have folded had he been in the ring tonight instead of Rebrasse.

“I knockout a lot of guys and he [Rebrasse] took a lot on the chin tonight,” Groves said after the fight. “Dirrell, I don’t think he’d stand up to that. He’s the champion, I’ll give him that respect. He says he doesn’t want to come to the UK. We [Sauerland] might just make him. He says he doesn’t want to fight me. Well, now he has to. He better do his research because his facts so far are unclear and he’s in for a rude awakening. I want to keep busy, I want to keep the momentum. Hopefully, I’ll be challenging for the title before Christmas.”