Groves v Smith to be held in Saudi Arabia

[p4pking]

I precursed it with being miserable for good reason, but nationality also plays a big role. I wasn’t there, and so had no emotional investment, you know? There’s never been a good boxer born within 100 miles of me. If there was, I might inherently get behind them or follow something they do out of the ring. I don’t know or care why people dislike Eubank jr so much, I’m sure he’s a clown, but that’s kind of the default for a man.

[Ron Swanson]

I think Groves still has a big fight or two left in him and certainly would like to see him take on DeGale after he has rested and recuperated.

What would that do for him other than line his pockets? His pockets should be good. I say rest, recover, then pick the weakest champion and use the UK fans to lure a fight. Win a belt and retire a champion.(granted the champions are of similar quality right now but by the time he has recouperated a good matchup might have emerged)

Retirement with a belt may be meaningless to fans if you pick the weakest champion but to a fighter it matters.

[Primo Carnera]

I precursed it with being miserable for good reason, but nationality also plays a big role. I wasn’t there, and so had no emotional investment, you know? There’s never been a good boxer born within 100 miles of me. If there was, I might inherently get behind them or follow something they do out of the ring. I don’t know or care why people dislike Eubank jr so much, I’m sure he’s a clown, but that’s kind of the default for a man.

I saw the miserable bit , so I wasn’t really having a pop, just ranting on about how I felt.
The Eubank thing isn’t so much about him, it just amazes me how much influence hype has. It’s almost like people make their opinions on fighters on what they read rather than what they see.
I can’t understand why anybody who watches with their own eyes can’t see his limitations and so it’s almost like justice when a fighter like that does get beat by a technically good Boxer.

[p4pking]

I precursed it with being miserable for good reason, but nationality also plays a big role. I wasn’t there, and so had no emotional investment, you know? There’s never been a good boxer born within 100 miles of me. If there was, I might inherently get behind them or follow something they do out of the ring. I don’t know or care why people dislike Eubank jr so much, I’m sure he’s a clown, but that’s kind of the default for a man.

I saw the miserable bit , so I wasn’t really having a pop, just ranting on about how I felt.
The Eubank thing isn’t so much about him, it just amazes me how much influence hype has. It’s almost like people make their opinions on fighters on what they read rather than what they see.
I can’t understand why anybody who watches with their own eyes can’t see his limitations and so it’s almost like justice when a fighter like that does get beat by a technically good Boxer.

I know you weren’t lol, although it’s welcomed. That’s kind of what I meant with regards to the hype, I’ve just never been exposed to it, for pretty well any fighter save a few. I’m not sure how anyone could’ve ever watched Jr and thought he’s technically good. He’s very athletic and tough, so has enough to overwhelm guys who can’t fight for shit, but beyond that, he only has/had a chance being younger and stronger than anyone he fought.

[Freedom]

[Master]

World Boxing Super Series final: Callum Smith knocks out George Groves



Callum Smith ended fellow Briton George Groves' 16-month reign as WBA world super-middleweight champion and won the World Boxing Super Series with a stunning seventh-round knockout.

The Liverpudlian, 28, landed a left hook to hurt Groves, who hung on until a body shot finally floored him.

As 30-year-old Groves shook his head, the new champion dropped to his knees in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Smith follows his sibling Liam in becoming a world champion.

The Smith brothers
Callum Smith: WBA, WBC (Diamond) and Ring Magazine super-middleweight champion
Liam Smith: Former WBO light-middleweight champion lost to Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez in 2016
Stephen Smith: Two-time world title challenger at super-featherweight
Paul Smith: Three-time world title challenger at super-middleweight




All four Smith brothers - including former British champions Paul and Stephen - embraced in the ring after the fight.

Callum, the youngest of the four, entered the inaugural World Boxing Super Series to give himself a chance of winning a world title, as the more traditional routes had proven fruitless.

And he remained poised during the biggest test of his career.

As the taller fighter, he maintained enough distance to force Groves into committing forward but struck the right balance in being close enough to pick off attacks from his opponent with well-timed right hands.

Despite appearing to hurt Groves in the third round, when the Londoner's legs buckled after a right hand, Smith was only ahead on one of the four cards when the stoppage came, with his opposite number up on two and a fourth judge marking the fight level.

But those scores mattered for nothing when Smith caught Groves with a left hook, forcing the champion to backpedal into the corner. There, he was swamped, with a right hand to the body - one of countless shots in the attack - forcing Groves to wilt.

The Middle East had never hosted this level of boxing before, but the crowd at the 10,000-seat King Abdullah Sports City Arena seemed to appreciate the clinical nature of the finish.

Some fans on social media argued that a bout so intriguing and well balanced should have been held on British soil, but organisers insisted their tournament is global and Saudi Arabia's new desire to stage big events ultimately told.

Those present got to see Smith, at 6ft 3in - about four inches taller than Groves, appear classy and decisive throughout against an opponent with far more big-fight experience.

Groves said the dislocated shoulder he sustained in beating Chris Eubank Jr last time out played no part in his defeat. He instead praised his opponent, who boxed with discipline to maximise his physical attributes.

Smith, for his part, is the first man to win the World Boxing Super Series at super-middleweight. He picks up the biggest share of the estimated £6.1m in prize money on offer and is now likely to target a title defence in his home city before turning to potential unification encounters.



Callum Smith told ITV Box Office: "I know how good I am and knew I had the ability. I had a slow couple of years and people forgot about me. I think tonight I reminded people.

"I felt I was ahead at the time of the stoppage. I feel like I was beating him at his own game, it was a boxing match at range. I got my big shots off first and he couldn't take it.

"It just means everything. I am not a man who shows a lot of emotion, you never see me ecstatic, but you can see tonight it is a lifetime of work all gone into one.

"I'd like to think we are not finished but I'd love to defend my titles back in Liverpool and give a great fighting city a great night of boxing".

George Groves: "It was not meant to be. Full credit to Callum. Boxed well, heavy-handed. He got me with a body shot at the end, which is embarrassing for me, because I've never been dropped with a body shot in my life, but he got the decisive shot in the end.

"I'm not going to make excuses. The shoulder worked and Callum was the better man on the night. That's tough for me to say but I have to be honest.

"I'm going to have a long rest because it's been a dogged year. I won the world title just over a year ago, but I want to go home because I miss my wife and kids."



Former cruiserweight world champion Tony Bellew: Ruthless! Brilliant finish from Callum Smith. So people told me he had no chance and I told you he would win it! Catch and counter left hook and the right hook the body took the fight right out of GG.

Former England captain Wayne Rooney: Brilliant performance from Callum Smith. Congratulations on becoming world champion.

Ex-Liverpool and England defender Jamie Carragher: Get in! Callum Smith what a performance!

Former world super-bantamweight champion Scott Quigg: Callum Smith, absolute class performance. Patience & destructive.

Mayor of Liverpool Joe Anderson: Amazing Callum Smith wins having dominated the fight from the start, relentless punishment a ruthless. Real class performance and a worthy champion of the world.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/boxing/45683595

[Manos de Piedra]

Good on Smith, he stayed composed and disciplined.
I wanted to see Groves win but he just struggled with the size and power of Smith.

[Master]

Smith was very impressive at this world class level and was comfortable there. It was worth the wait for him.

Gilberto Ramirez and David Benavidez should be on the radar.

[Dia bando]

The promotion got it wrong Saudi for two British fighters to square off.!
Yes I know the reason Money the fans were robbed of a good dust up in a British ring.
Smith came through Groves is a nice guy and I hope he retires he has nothing to prove a few miles on the clock been involved in some grueling fights.

[Alpha]

Bivol has said he is willing to fight Callum at 175 or 168, to allow Smith the chance to avenge an amateur loss.

[Primo Carnera]

Bivol has said he is willing to fight Callum at 175 or 168, to allow Smith the chance to avenge an amateur loss.

I saw this earlier. If Eddie Hearn has any love for Callum, he would keep him well away from Bivol.
Mind you, at SMW , it could be interesting.
Maybe , if they fought at 168, they could put both belts on the line. Now that would be interesting.

[Alpha]

Bivol has said he is willing to fight Callum at 175 or 168, to allow Smith the chance to avenge an amateur loss.

I saw this earlier. If Eddie Hearn has any love for Callum, he would keep him well away from Bivol.
Mind you, at SMW , it could be interesting.
Maybe , if they fought at 168, they could put both belts on the line. Now that would be interesting.

Yea I was surprised he mentioned 168, we saw that backfire with Dawson. Smith is big for the weight tho so 175 may not be to far off.

[Master]

George Groves considering retirement after World Boxing Super Series final loss to Callum Smith, reveals trainer Shane McGuigan

George Groves will take the rest of 2018 to consider his future in boxing after losing the World Boxing Super Series final to Callum Smith, trainer Shane McGuigan has confirmed.

Smith stopped Groves with a flurry of punches after a powerful left hook in the seventh round of the fight at the King Abdullah Sports Hall in Jeddah, in what was the first-ever boxing event to be held in Saudi Arabia.

It was the fourth defeat in 32 professional fights for Groves, who had previously been stopped twice by Carl Froch and lost once by split decision against Badou Jack, and McGuigan revealed that the 30-year-old is far from certain to return to the ring.

“George is spending some time with his family and having a good rest,” McGuigan said. “It has been a long camp ever since the [Chris] Eubank Jnr fight what with the shoulder.

“We spent seven months in camp making sure it was coming back, because it is a really complicated joint to recover and rehab so we had a deadline at the end of September and luckily for us the WBSS, the tournament pushed the date of the final back.

“In the meantime it was an exhausting camp in this stage of George's career. He's 30 years of age, he's been a pro for 10 years, so it was a very long camp and we did our best to get him in the best condition possible and he unfortunately didn't win on the night.

Smith overwhelmed Groves in the seventh round after a big left hook (Getty)

“The first six rounds it was a pick-them fight, George was starting to get his jab off, was starting to work the body as well but Callum hit him and hurt him in the third round.

“It was a great fight for him to be involved in, though. It was a shame it was in Saudi Arabia as it would have got a lot more attraction if it was back here in the UK but no matter what I was very proud of George and he is taking some much needed rest right now.

“He is going to spend the rest of the year out from the gym and then we can make a decision on what he wants to do in the future.

“The decision is up to George, he is his own man but I will be a part of his decision. Everyone wants to find out what he wants to do, the only way he will know that is with time. If he spends four months out and doesn't get that bit between his teeth, then it's time to pack it in and we can make the decision when it comes.”

Groves, who surrendered the WBA world super-middleweight title with the loss to Smith, insisted in the ring immediately afterwards that he did not consider retirement an option.

https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/geo...102100674.html