By Scott Gilfoid: Oscar De La Hoya of Golden Boy Promotions was really crowing about the victory for George Groves (15-0, 12 KO’s), making a big deal out of his win over 2nd tier fighter Francisco Sierra (25-6-1, 22 KO’s) at the Shark Tank in San Jose, California. Groves got the win but in the 6th by a stoppage, but this is the same opponent that Edison Miranda knocked out in one round in 2009, so you have to put things in perspective.
De La Hoya said about Groves on his twitter “Groves, a star is born…I do want to see more of George Groves.”
A star is born? Why? Because Groves beat a 2nd tier fighter in Sierra? Where are De La Hoya’s standards? Shouldn’t Groves at least beaten someone actually good like Thomas Oosthuizen, Edwin Rodriguez, Adonis Stevenson, Andre Dirrell, Anthony Dirrell, Arthur Abraham, Kelly Pavlik, Sakio Bika are Andre Ward before De La Hoya starts talking about super stardom for Groves?
When we get promoters pronouncing a fighter a superstar after a win over a 2nd tier fighter then that’s a bad sign for the sport. They dragged out an opponent for Groves to look good against that wouldn’t beat him, and then De La Hoya calls Groves a star after beating the guy. Is that laughable or what?
Here’s my take on the Groves-Sierra fight: Groves got hit way too much in the fight, and besides his complete lack of defensive skills, Groves showed little hand speed. He’s slow and he doesn’t move his head enough. To me, Groves looked no better than an ESPN2 fighter. He doesn’t look like a true world class fighter and if he fought someone from my list, in particular the Dirrell brothers and Ward, he’d get smoked.
I know he’s young at 24, but the Dirrell brothers and Ward are just a little older and have been showing their immense talent way before they turned 24. The age thing has nothing to do with it. If Groves doesn’t have the talent now to beat these fighters, he sure won’t have it later on down the road. He’s pretty much right now the fighter he’ll be later on. If anything, it’s all downhill from here slowly but surely.
I do think Groves can be useful for Golden Boy. If they match him against the right fringe contenders and/or 2nd tier guys, he’ll excel. But if they Groves in with Ward, the Dirrell brothers or the other fighters from my list, he’s going to show his limitations in a big way.
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