Groves says CT scan today on shoulder shows it’s “perfectly healed”

By Boxing News - 04/11/2018 - Comments

Image: Groves says CT scan today on shoulder shows it’s “perfectly healed”

By George Groves (28-3, 20 KOs) says he had a CT scan done today on his left shoulder, and it showed that it’s healed perfectly and ready for him to face the unbeaten Callum Smith (24-0, 17 KOs) on July 7 in the finals of the World Boxing Super Series tournament.

The WBSS still hasn’t made it official whether they’ll grant Groves the 1-month extension that he needs for him to recover from his shoulder injury to face Smith in the finals of the tournament on July 7. The tournament will be hurt without Groves in the finals. The WBSS already replaced Juergen Braehmer with little known Nieky Holzken in the quarterfinals of the tournament for his fight with Callum Smith on February 24 in Nuremberg, Germany. Braehmer was ill and unable to take the fight with Smith. Holzken fought surprisingly well despite losing a lopsided 12 round unanimous decision to Smith.

Groves, 30, suffered a left shoulder injury in his last fight against Chris Eubank Jr. in the quarterfinals of the WBSS tournament on February 17 at the Manchester Arena in Manchester, England. Groves’ left shoulder came out of the socket in the 12th round against Eubank Jr., and he fought the remainder of the round with that condition.

This is excellent news. However, if Groves isn’t given the extension by the WBSS, then there’s a possibility that Eubank Jr. could step in and replace him for the fight with Smith. That would look really bad if it took place, but there aren’t a lot of options for the WBSS to find a quality fighter from the super middleweight division that will step in to replace Groves if he’s not granted a 1-month extension.

If Groves fails to get the extension, it’s possible that he might opt for a unification fight against IBF super middleweight champion James DeGale, who recaptured his IBF title last Saturday night with a 12 round decision win over Caleb Truax. Groves has to take the fight with DeGale now, because ‘Chunky’ is looking like he’s completely over-the-hill. DeGale’s win over Truax was very close last weekend, and he looked nothing like the fighter he’d been a decade ago when he won a gold medal in the 2008 Olympics.

Groves beat Eubank Jr. with ease in the first 11 rounds last February before suffering the shoulder injury. It wasn’t even a fight. Groves had too much skills compared to Eubank Jr. Groves dominated the fight from the outside with his jabs and right-hand power shots.

If Groves is 100 percent for the Smith fight, then he would have to be viewed as the favorite. Smith did not look at all good against Holzken. That version of Smith will be out of his class against Groves.