Froch vs. Groves II rematch to be televised by HBO

By Boxing News - 02/28/2014 - Comments

groves834By Scott Gilfoid: HBO and the promoter for IBF/WBA super middleweight champion Carl Froch (32-2, 23 KO’s), Eddie Hearn, have reportedly agreed on a deal to have the Froch-Groves II rematch televised in the United States on HBO, according to Dan Rafael. Their previous fight last November wasn’t televised in the U.S, but this time the fans will get a chance to see these two guys go at it. The bout will be taking place in the UK at a still to be determined venue.

Hopefully the referee working the Froch-Groves fight won’t blow it like the last guy, because that would be a real pity if America fans had to sit through a controversial ending like the one that took place in their previous fight.

“Carl Froch vs. George Groves is an exciting rematch that boxing fans around the globe are going to enjoy,” Ken Hershman, the HBO president of sports told ESPN. “We are delighted that HBO is going to be able to televise the fight live in the United States. This shapes up as an important fight in the super middleweight division.”

It’s an important fight involving one of the four super middleweight champions. Where Froch sits in the pecking order of the best of the 168 lb champions is unknown, but what is known is that he’s not the No.1 guy in the division. That position goes to the talented WBA super middleweight champion Andre Ward after he whipped Froch in the Super Six tournament three years ago. Froch hasn’t done anything to try and avenge the loss, so that makes Ward still the guy in the division. Froch is at least tied with Sakio Bika and Robert Stieglitz in terms of the No.2 fighters in the division.

“I’m over the moon to agree a deal with HBO to televise this fight,” Hearn said to ESPN. “This fight is one of, if not the biggest fight in British boxing history.”

I don’t know about this being one of the biggest fights in British boxing history, but it’s a decent fight. I just hope that the referee doesn’t spoil it like what happened last time, because it would be so sad if they keep having to fight each other just because the referee halts the fight prematurely.

Groves was really giving it to Froch last time until he got tired in the 9th and was briefly stunned from a right hand from Froch. Groves wouldn’t have been hit by that shot if he didn’t make the mistake of standing directly in front of him. I didn’t like how Groves retreated to the ropes like a sparring partner, because that was exactly the wrong thing to do against Froch. When you’re hurt against Froch, you don’t go to the ropes because then he’s going to storm you and throw a big flurry of shots. Groves needed to use his feet and start circling the ring to make Froch look bad the way that Andre Dirrell did to him in their fight in 2009.



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