Former three-time world title challenger George Groves (21-3, 16 KOs) will be looking to rejuvenate his career tonight against his B-side opponent Andrea Di Luisa (18-3, 14 KOs) in their 12 round fight in the main event at the Copper Box Arena in London, UK.
Groves is reloading for another world title shot after losing his last attempt against WBC champion Badou Jack last year. Groves has had rotten luck when fighting for world titles, as he was twice beaten by former world champ Carl Froch and then recently Groves lost to Badou Jack.
The good news is that Groves has fought extremely well when not fighting for world titles, and he’s definitely has the skillset to become a world champion. It’s just going to take the youthful Groves a little while longer before he finally wins a belt. It could happen this year. Groves says he could fight any of the top super middleweight champions for a title. Groves just needs to get one or two wins under his belt before he gets another crack at a title. A rematch against Badou would be a great fight for Groves.
“What he did well before the Froch fight, I think he went on to neglect,” Callum Smith said to skysports.com about Groves. “Maybe he believed in his own power too much and wanted to stand and trade. If he can get with McGuigan, he can get into those big fights again.”
If anything, Groves didn’t fight aggressive enough against Badou and in his other fights against Denis Douglin and Christopher Rebrasse. Groves is a better fighter when he’s coming forward looking to drop huge bombs on his opponents rather than boxing them. Groves got away from his aggressive style of fighting after his first stoppage loss to Carl Froch in 2013.
Groves should have seen the success he had early on against Froch by slugging and stuck with that instead of choosing to become a boxer/puncher. That style doesn’t work for Groves, and it forces him to fight a lot longer than he previously was accustomed to. Before Groves fought Froch the first time, he was knocking out everybody early in his fights. After the two fights against Froch, Groves was suddenly fighting longer fights and his stamina did not look good.
If Groves can take the fight to Di Luisa early in this fight tonight, he should be able to score a quick knockout without having to be dragged into the deep waters.
