By Scott Gilfoid: WBO super middleweight champion Robert Stieglitz (41-2, 23 KO’s) will have a tremendous advantage in ring experience against his green 24-year-old opponent George Groves (14-0, 11 KO’s) next month at the Messehalle, Erfurt, Thüringen, Germany. Stieglitz has fought 287 rounds as a pro compared to the 67 for Groves.
It goes much further than that, however, because most of Groves’ opposition has been domestic level fighters from the UK, who didn’t give Groves much of a fight. Groves’ best opposition has been in fights against James DeGale, Kenny Anderson and Paul Smith, none of which are in the same class as Stieglitz or ever close.
Stieglitz said “He [Groves] hasn’t been in many fights as I have. I believe that my experience is going to make the difference and give me the advantage for this bout.”
Stieglitz is right. His experience will get a win in this fight, but even if Groves had fought as many rounds as Stieglitz, I still seeing Stieglitz winning because he’s a better offensive fighter. Maybe Groves could be a lot better if he had been trained by someone that could fix his problems with a low work rate and by having him throw more punches instead of spending 24/7 using feints just to land a handful of punches in every round.
Groves is the product of Adam Booth, the same guy that trains former WBA heavyweight champion David Haye. If you’ve seen any of Haye’s fights you’ll know that he’ll spend all just looking to feint and try and land a pot shot and there. The style simply is geared for a one punch knockout artist type fighter, but it doesn’t work for fighters with medium power like Groves.
Stieglitz has defended his World Boxing Organization title five times since winning it off of Karoly Balzsay. Stieglitz has beaten the following fighters:
Henry Weber
Khoren Gevor
Enrique Ornelas
Eduard Gutknecht
Ruben Eduardo Acosta
From the way I see it, Groves fits in that list quite nicely. I see him along the same lines as those fighters in the talent department, but with perhaps less ability on the offense department. He’s got the power to be a halfway decent fighter but he can’t pull the trigger in my estimation. He’s all gun and no bullets. Too many feints and not enough punches thrown.
Stieglitz will decimate Groves on May 5th with nonstop punches. While Groves is looking to try and trick Stieglitz out of position so he can land a rare shot, Stieglitz will be ignoring those useless mind games and just blast away at Groves until he collapses on the canvas in a heap. That’s how you beat the Adam Booth style of fighting.
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