Is Groves ready for Froch?

I'm just eager to see what people think of Groves and how they rate his chances against the cobra?
I think he could do with a few more fights but he definitely has a decent chance. Good speed and decent power, froch struggles with those that are faster than him. Groves does leave his chin out to dry at times. ALSO.... does anyone know how Groves sparring went with Kessler? Not the sort if thing that is generally revealed to the public but if anyone has inside info on that it'd be very interesting to hear. Cheers

If the fight hapened in december 2014 with Groves having 3 more fighst I would put Groves as a favourite. I think it is just a little too soon.

Have a look at Groves advantages over Froch thread down the page, which sums up most peoples view. The majority support CS above, but a significant minority do think Groves has what it takes. My view is Froch is the better fighter and as long as he enters prepared, will win.

bhb001 wrote:Have a look at Groves advantages over Froch thread down the page, which sums up most peoples view. The majority support CS above, but a significant minority do think Groves has what it takes. My view is Froch is the better fighter and as long as he enters prepared, will win.

Makes sense we all know how much CS loves the majority and hates minorities.

My view is Groves will be looking for that 1 big punch all night. Should he land I reckon it will just bounce of Carls granite chin. Groves will hit and run for sure a bit like Dirrel but with intent.

ONETWOFOREVER wrote:

bhb001 wrote:Have a look at Groves advantages over Froch thread down the page, which sums up most peoples view. The majority support CS above, but a significant minority do think Groves has what it takes. My view is Froch is the better fighter and as long as he enters prepared, will win.

Makes sense we all know how much CS loves the majority and hates minorities.

My view is Groves will be looking for that 1 big punch all night. Should he land I reckon it will just bounce of Carls granite chin. Groves will hit and run for sure a bit like Dirrel but with intent.

In which case he'll win as a bit more application from Dirrell and Froch would be an also-ran in the SM division.
As for punches bouncing off Froch's chin, Carl needs to be careful because whilst he might not get KO'd he will be losing those rounds and it's not nailed on that he's going to wear Groves down before the final bell.

Champagne_Socialist wrote:If the fight hapened in december 2014 with Groves having 3 more fighst I would put Groves as a favourite. I think it is just a little too soon.

That's just nonsense CS....................

What three fights does he have to prepare for Froch's style ??..........It's like the Hoppo being green against RJJ garbage...How was Hoppo ever going to prepare for RJJ......??

Only reason he'd have a better chance in 2014 is because Froch is a year older...........

Groves is ready now.............But does he believe he can do it ??.......Froch is a big fish...

[quote="DAVE667"]

ONETWOFOREVER wrote:

bhb001 wrote:

My view is Groves will be looking for that 1 big punch all night. Should he land I reckon it will just bounce of Carls granite chin. Groves will hit and run for sure a bit like Dirrel but with intent.

In which case he'll win as a bit more application from Dirrell and Froch would be an also-ran in the SM division.
As for punches bouncing off Froch's chin, Carl needs to be careful because whilst he might not get KO'd he will be losing those rounds and it's not nailed on that he's going to wear Groves down before the final bell.

A bit more application from Dirrell and he could have been caught and beat. I see Groves being stopped between 5 and 8.

Domestic tear ups for a world title often bring out a little more needle then useal.

I can't see Froch wanting to loose to some little squib, wet behind the ears, early bird like Groves. Froch fancies himself as thee marquee fighter in Britain he will be very up for this fight but I think he will be chasing Groves all night.

I'm struggling to see someone on froch's record I wouldn't fancy Groves to beat..

Kessler is a just a stand up European.........Overrated for sure........

Taylor, Bute etc..........Fancy Groves to beat them..

Groves would not beat the Taylor that outclassed Froch for 11 rounds only to gass and get koed in the 12.

Bute would dance around Groves imo but Groves hold the edge in power.

Pascal would ruin Groves.

He didn't outclass froch.........and I believe he would...Pavlik is of asimilar style to Groves...

Bute is garbage of the highest order....Slobodan Kacar circa 2013.....

I was there at the Kessler sparring. Kess looked better than ever...then he got in the ring with Saint George. He considered retiring from the sport during every break between rounds and no time to think during rounds.

Saint George slayed the Danish Dragon.





some of this may be fiction.

Groves has one chance at winning this imo, just be completely negative, never take a step forward in twelve rounds and hope to beat Froch to the punch as he tries to close the gap. I don't think Groves has the chin to take much punishment and I've got a feeling Froch will be able to walk through his jab and take GG apart on the inside.

Froch by KO rounds 6-9 hedged with Groves on points I reckon.

That being said, I think Groves winning is probably best for British boxing right now, not sure there is much Froch can do after this fight that will eclipse what he's already achieved, unless he fancies going up a weightclass.

I'll be surprised if this reaches half way, Froch to win by brutal beat down.

I think as with Haye-Fury a few people are missing a few key elements...

Haye will have been out 15 months and Fury is huge as was Wlad........

Froch is knocking on and been in several wars........Groves has good skills.........

Groves isn't a one dimensional bute...

Groves will get spannered. He sounds identical to Adam Booth these days, too. Just thought I'd throw that in

Don't think any of this will take place on the inside. Booth fighters can't do anything on the inside and Froch doesn't do much there although he still stands up and knocks guys away up close.

See Groves obviously can't come forwards in this one, but I don't think he'll do much backing up either. Froch's jab has great timing. Groves isn't as skilled a fighter as Kessler in my opinion, lacks the solid fundamentals but Kessler was owned by Froch's jab for the first four rounds. If Groves thinks he can outjab Froch he has another thing coming. Froch's jab is a thudding one. Not just a points scorer.

Seanusarrilius wrote:Groves will get spannered. He sounds identical to Adam Booth these days, too. Just thought I'd throw that in

So he's interesting then?

All this beating Groves easy.............and spannering...

Why is Kessler so much better than Groves ???..Stand up European.......an old Calzaghe beat.

He wasn't spannered..........

Kessler is a very very good stand up European, and is made out of granite. He hits harder than Groves, works the body better and can handle a year up. Groves cant, Froch takes him out in 6.

I'm with Truss on this one.

Like the Hatton vs Mayweather fight, the British public got it vastly wrong which skewed the bets.

Lets hope something similar happens here, I'll be putting a lot of money on Carl.

Lumbering_Jack wrote:Like the Hatton vs Mayweather fight, the British public got it vastly wrong which skewed the bets.

Lets hope something similar happens here, I'll be putting a lot of money on Carl.

I thought about it but at 1/4 it's not worth the risk.

I'm starting to favour Groves more now. groves won every round against Glen Johnson and only 12 months earlier Froch struggled with a MD over Johnson. Groves was sparring partner for Kessler before the froch v kessler fight, a fight which Froch struggled in at certain parts. maybe Groves belives based on froch's performance against johnson and kessler and groves own performances against those 2 fighters that Groves is the better boxer and will win.

That's a good analysis Champagne. But for me, it just wont happen. Styles make fights. Against a slow Johnson he had the hand speed to swarm him all night, something Froch don't have.

Nobody knows how sparring went with Kessler but Groves........


I just feel Groves wont have the power or experience to handle the inner depths of a very dirty and rough Trench.

Too much too soon for George I fear, and Froch will indeed stop him late on I feel.

Champagne_Socialist wrote:I'm starting to favour Groves more now. groves won every round against Glen Johnson and only 12 months earlier Froch struggled with a MD over Johnson. Groves was sparring partner for Kessler before the froch v kessler fight, a fight which Froch struggled in at certain parts. maybe Groves belives based on froch's performance against johnson and kessler and groves own performances against those 2 fighters that Groves is the better boxer and will win.

It was 17 months , when you are in father time every fight takes more out of you, 17 months and 3 fights (losses) is not a good remedy when you are on the slide. Also Froch traveled to the USA for the super six, Groves fought him in his home town with him coming of the back of 3 losses. You could visibly see that Johnston was a completely shot fighter where while he was not exactly at his prime against Froch, had a bit more movement and speed. I don't think The Johnson win can be used. Johnson is very tough and with a awkward defense, but he was simply a punch bag.

He's ready but I think froch is overrated but I like him and he'd in good fights

Froch is probably fighting better than he's ever done at any time in his career despite age and the wars he has been in.
I quite like Groves but this is too early in his career and gifted a world title shot based on fighting nobody.

Froch will be relentless and won't give Groves time to breathe, at some stage Groves will be made to stand and fight and that's when Froch ends it.

Bute won every round against Johnson too didn't he? And look how that one went.

Will copy and paste what I wrote on the other thread regarding this fight, as nothing has made me want to change my opinion just yet....

I don't think Groves is ready for this huge step up just yet, to be honest, and I'd struggle to see a way for him to beat Froch as things stand. At 36, there's always a chance that Froch could grow in to an old man overnight, but unless that happens I think it's asking a lot for Groves to win this.

When me and Hampo were discussing this on the podcast the other night I said, as bellchees has touched upon, that I can't rule out this being Froch-Bute all over again. Like Bute going in to that one, Groves has shown very good power, a good, rounded skill set but has also shown that he can be hurt, shaken up and made to look slightly vulnerable at times. But while Bute's opposition wasn't all that eye-popping before fighting Froch, Groves' is of an even lower standard by a reasonable margin and I think he's going to find himself in a world of trouble once he's feeling that huge step up for himself. Froch is no immature, ten-fight James DeGale or old man Glen Johnson.

I think it's instructional that those two, perhaps Groves' two best wins so far, have taken George the distance and I don't really feel that Groves is carrying an edge in power as many are saying, given that his collection of knockouts have come against a relatively low rung of competition. Likewise, Froch was knocking over more than 80 per cent of his victims before hitting world title level. He's a puncher to be reckoned with, for sure, but I'd feel comfortable that Froch's chin can stand up to his best, whereas I certainly wouldn't have any confidence in saying that Groves' can stand up to a barrage of Froch's best.

I think Groves and Booth know that trying to take Froch on in a slug fest would be suicide and will be looking to adopt a gameplan similar to the one they used against DeGale. Froch can be vulnerable to speed (Taylor, Dirrell, Ward) and it's a quality that Groves can call upon because he has sharp reflexes and decent legs, definitely better than Froch's.

Doing that, he's going to have to be virtually punch-perfect to nick a points win because he'll be treading a fine line between boxing defensively to accumulate points and simply looking to survive, which won't (or at least shouldn't!) do him any favours with the judges. Dirrell tried walking that line and didn't quite manage to strike the right balance, and Froch is a much more polished fighter now than he was then. If that's what Groves is looking to do, then he'll have to make some improvements on his jab, I feel.

Groves is talking a good one right now, but I'm not convinced he's got the experience required just yet to step up to Froch's level and walk away with the spoils. His speed will probably give Carl problems early on but I don't think he can keep Froch from outmuscling him and cornering him at some stage, and again unless Froch ages a decade overnight there's only one of them coming out on top if / when it becomes that kind of fight.

Froch by TKO between rounds 8 and 10 would be my best guess at the moment.