By Scott Gilfoid: Unbeaten George Groves (19-0, 15 KO’s) will be trained by Paddy Fitzpatrick for Groves’ upcoming title challenge against IBF/WBA super middleweight champion Carl Froch (31-2, 22 KO’s) on November 23rd.
Fitzpatrick replaces Groves’ longtime trainer Adam Booth in the corner. Groves doesn’t day why he dumped Booth, but one could guess it had to do with fight tactics. Booth looked lost in Groves’ corner during his fight against Glen Johnson last year in December.
Groves said to Sky Sports “I am extremely happy to name Paddy Fitzpatrick as my new trainer going into what is the biggest fight of my life…This is a fresh change for me. I’m working with someone I know and respect.”
I think this is a great move for Groves, as Fitzpatrick knows his stuff from having worked with American trainer Freddie Roach. I think he’ll have a lot of ideas for Groves to use in getting ready for his fight against the 36-year-old Froch in November.
At this point I don’t think it even matters who trains Groves, because he’s got enough talent to defeat Froch, and he’s definitely got enough speed to get him the ‘W’ in this fight. Froch’s fighting style is made to order for Groves. Froch’s plodding style of fighting, poor footwork, and poor hand-speed is going to leave him a sitting duck for Groves to bludgeon on November 23rd. As good as Fitzpatrick is as a trainer, I see him mostly as just a spectator in this fight.
Sure, he’ll be giving Groves a lot of pointers in between rounds, but Groves will be on cruise control in this fight and he’ll know exactly what to do in order to batter Froch. There are certain types of fighters that Froch does poorly against, such as Andre Dirrell, Jermaine Taylor and Andre Ward, and Groves fits into that mold perfectly. I give Dirrell a lot of credit for that, because he gave Groves some valuable sparring before Groves’ fight with James DeGale two years ago, and Groves has been a different fighter ever since. Groves has the blueprint in how to beat Froch by studying his fights against Taylor, Dirrell and Ward. All Groves has to do is follow their blueprint and he’ll have Froch’s two straps easy.
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