Callum Smith’s prediction: Groves on points after a few rocky moments
Callum Smith believes he will face George Groves in the final for the Muhammad Ali Trophy.
“Groves-Eubank is a good fight, a very good one. The winner will become an even bigger name after the weekend,” said Smith.
WBA Super Champion George Groves (27-3, 20 KOs) and IBO World Champion Chris Eubank Jr. (26-1, 20 KOs) exchanged words for at last time before their Ali Trophy semi-final clash on Saturday at the Manchester Arena.
“I have been involved in big fights before and I’ve learned a lot along the way,” said Groves. “This is a tremendous fight but it’s not my biggest fight to date. But I am in the form of my life, certainly I’m in the best shape I’ve ever been in through my career. I’m fully prepared to go out there and retain my world title in style.”
Fight fans will be spoilt for choice when it comes to the big fights they tune in to see this coming weekend. There will be a number of world title fights fought, as well as one incredibly intriguing, tough to pick WBSS semifinal. The action will get underway on Friday night (Feb. 16) as Raymundo Beltran and Paulus Moses will go at it for the vacant WBO lightweight title – in Reno, Nevada, to go out on ESPN.
From a British perspective the upcoming WBSS showdown between George Groves and Chris Eubank Junior has Fight of the Year potential all over it. On it’s own, the WBA/IBO super-middleweight unification clash would be a big deal, a great Grudge-Match; but as part of the quite superb tournament it is even more so.
Simon Vallily has insisted that “Christmas is cancelled” as he focuses on his English title shot on the undercard of George Groves’ massive World Boxing Super Series clash against Chris Eubank Jr.
Sauerland Promotions have confirmed that MTK Global-managed cruiserweight Vallily will clash with defending English champion Arfan Iqbal on February 17 on a huge night for world boxing when Groves and Eubank meet in the WBSS super-middleweight semi-final at the Manchester Arena.
With the (apparent) retirement of superstar Floyd Mayweather Junior – “apparent” because there are still some suggestions that say the 40 year old will indeed box again – Floyd himself denying any such notions; for now at least – who is the current biggest star in US boxing? The probable answer is Canelo Alvarez; the Mexican hero being hugely popular in many countries other than his own, America included.
In truth, the upcoming February battle between seemingly bitter British rivals George Groves and Chris Eubank Jr. doesn’t mean all that much to US fans. No, this fight is a far, far bigger deal in Europe, the UK in particular. And with good reason. It was back in the glorious 1990s when Nigel Benn, Chris Eubank Snr and Michael Watson, household names all, fought one another in a fantastic series of fights – each of them on terrestrial, or, if you like, “free” TV.
Heated words were exchanged at the kickoff press conference before the Ali Trophy semi-final bout between WBA Super World Champion George Groves (27-3, 20 KOs) and IBO-Champ Chris Eubank Jr. (26-1,20 KOs) at the Manchester Arena on February 17, 2018.
It took seven minutes to sell out the Ali Trophy semi-final bout between WBA Super World Champion George Groves (27-3, 20 KOs) and IBO-Champ Chris Eubank Jr. (26-1,20 KOs) at the Manchester Arena on February 17, 2018. Europe’s largest purpose-built indoor arena will be at capacity to witness what promises to be the biggest Super Middleweight night in years.
Chris Eubank Jr. is predicting a victory for George Groves (26-3, 19 KOs) over his Ali Trophy quarter-final opponent Jamie Cox (24-0, 13 KOs) on Saturday at The SSE Arena, Wembley in London.
Eubank Jr. earned his spot in the semi-final of the World Boxing Super Series when he dominated and knocked out Turkish Avni Yildirim in round three in Stuttgart last weekend.