By Scott Gilfoid: Undefeated super middleweight contender George Groves (18-0, 14 KO’s) is hoping that a win over fringe contender Noe Gonzalez Alcoba (30-2, 22 KO’s) on May 25th will lead to him either getting a fight against the winner of the Carl Froch vs. Mikkel Kessler fight or a shot at one of the other super middleweight champions in the near future.
Alcoba and Groves are the co-feature on the Froch-Kessler II fight card at the O2 Arena in London, UK on May 25th, although it’s difficult to understand how on earth this fight was placed at the co-feature when the 34-year-old Alcoba has fought only two good opponents in his 9-year pro career and he was beaten by both of them.
Alcoba was knocked out by Adonis Stevenson in the 2nd round last year in April, and he was also beaten by former WBA middleweight champion Felix Sturm by a 12 round unanimous decision six years ago.
Other than those two fights, Alcoba’s opposition has been incredibly soft and his resume is badly inflated with fodder opposition.
One wonders whether Alcoba was picked out for Groves because of him being knocked out in the 2nd round last year. Was that his qualification to get the Groves fight? Why isn’t Groves fighting better opposition than this? And why did Eddie Hearn from Matchroom Sport select the Groves-Alcoba mismatch as the co-feature on the Froch-Kessler pay per view card.
Groves said to Sky Sports “He [Alcoba] looks like a good fighter. He’s got a good record…I might well be fighting the winner of Froch-Kessler down the road. The one thing I want more than anything is a big fight and there are plenty of world champions out there.”
Well, Groves can always call out WBA super middleweight champion Andre Ward for his next fight after the mismatch against Alcoba. Ward doesn’t have a scheduled opponent for his September fight and I think he’d be more than happy to defend his title against Groves, but somehow I don’t see Groves looking to take that fight. And I don’t think Groves’ promoter Eddie Hearn would ever let him fight the likes of Ward even if he wanted to take that fight, and it doesn’t like he wants it.
There is a title fight out there for Groves if he wants it against Ward, but I think Groves is looking for safer waters. There are world champions and there are REAL world champions. I doubt Groves is looking for the real thing. My guess is he really wants a belt holder rather than a real champion.
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