By Scott Gilfoid: David Haye is really concerned for his former fighter British and Commonwealth super middleweight champion George Groves (13-0, 10 KO’s) in his fight tonight against the older, more powerful and much more experienced Paul Smith (31-2, 17 KOs) at the Wembley Arena in London, England.

Haye knows how hard Smith can hit, and he must know that Groves mainly likes to fight on the back foot in a defensive manner rather than coming forward.

Haye told sportinglife.com “I think this is a harder fight than the DeGale fight because that was a strategic fight but this is more physically grueling. Paul brings a lot to the table in terms of experience and physical ability so we’re expecting a tough fight.”

I second that. Haye is right. Smith is a much bigger puncher than DeGale with both hands and he doesn’t need to load up to find his power. Smith hits hard all the time, and we saw how DeGale was the stronger fighter of the two in his exchanges with Groves. He had Groves backing up, holding on and using feints all night long in a painfully ugly to watch fight. It was a spoiling effort by Groves, and I along with Smith, saw DeGale winning that fight. Groves showed nothing other than how to win a controversial decision using a hit, hold and run approach. Very ugly fight to watch.

Smith said this to Sky Sports Ringside: “He’s [Groves] there to be hit. He’s there to be knocked out, and I know I can punch hard enough to get him out of there.”

Groves seems to be completely overlooking Smith, as if it’s a win already in the bag. What a mistake. For a fighter that appeared to lose his last fight against DeGale, he sure does seem cocky. Groves said “It’s important to win this fight and win it well. I’ve got to win in style and as well as I can do…I want to win in a manner that befits what I hope to go on and achieve.”

This guy should be happy if he gets a win at all, period. For a fighter that probably should be coming off a loss, and lacks power, Groves really needs to be hoping he can at least get a win. Never mind trying to look impressive doing so. Groves can’t do what DeGale did to Smith, because he doesn’t hit as hard as DeGale and is more of a back foot fighter. The thing is DeGale doesn’t even hit hard.

All Smith has to do to win is come forward nonstop, hit Groves as hard as he can every time and Groves will do the rest to louse things up for himself by holding and running. Once Groves tastes Smith’s power, it’ll be all back foot action for the rest of the night in what will be a truly ugly to watch fight.