Hearn: Groves vs. Froch possible for 2013 or 2014

By Boxing News - 03/10/2013 - Comments

groves4534By Scott Gilfoid: Matchroom Sport promoter Eddie Hearn believes he can setup a fight between unbeaten #1 WBO George Groves (17-0, 13 KO’s) and IBF super middleweight champion Carl Froch either this year or in 2014 now that Groves has joined Hearn’s Matchroom Sport promotional stable. It makes putting the fight together a lot easier.

Hearn said to Sky Sports, “I think 2014 or even late 2013 it’s an obvious fight. Froch wants the Ward rematch…but that’s a tough fight and there’s other fights out there.”

Is Hearn hinting that Froch will duck Ward? God, I hope not. That would be so, so sad, but I wouldn’t be surprised.

Froch didn’t sound so eager when asked about a Groves fight last Saturday night on Sky. Froch said he thinks Groves needs a couple of big fights before he can consider a fight with him. Well, if Groves gets a big fight on May 25th, that would be his first big fight of his career, but he’d still need another big fight.

I honestly can’t see Hearn getting a big named opponent for Groves on the May 25th date unless he’s willing to make a huge offer to one of the talented contenders. I mean, he’s not going to get a top contender to fly all the way over to the UK for chickenfeed, especially when there’s a chance that they may royally jobbed.

There are really not that many talented fighters at super middleweight that aren’t currently holding belts.

Here’s who I would consider a worthy big named opponent for Groves’ next fight on May 25th:

Andre Dirrell
Anthony Dirrell
Edwin Rodriguez
Thomas Oosthuizen
Adonis Stevenson
Sakio Bika
Lucian Bute

If it’s not one of these fighters than Groves won’t be fighting a big fight.

Groves said “It has to be a big fight, I need a big fight.”

Well, let’s be honest if Groves doesn’t fight one of those guys then it really won’t be a big fight, although don’t count on Hearn admitting that. He’ll likely call it a big fight even if he merely picks out an obscure contender with an inflated ranking or just someone that happens to be ranked in the top 10.

Here’s who I see Groves’ next opponent coming from:

Brian Magee
Dimitri Sartison
Maxim Vlasov
Badou Jack
Benjamin Simon
Rowland Bryant
Kenny Anderson

This is going to be funny as heck when Hearn announces that one of these guys is going to be Groves’ “Big fight” for May 25th. My guess is Sartison or Magee will be the guy. Of those two, I see Magee as the guy that gets selected. Is that a big fight? No, it’s not and I feel sorry for Groves if that’s who Hearn selects, and I have a strong feeling that’s going to be the guy. Magee was just knocked out by Mikkel Kessler in the third round last December. Hearn will point out that Magee just finished fighting Kessler, so it’s a good fight for Groves to take. Sorry, but that still doesn’t make it a big fight, even though Kessler just beat Magee. It’s not a big fight.



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