By Scott Gilfoid: IBF/WBA super middleweight champion Carl Froch (31-2, 22 KO’s) appeared to get emotional during his one-on-one meeting with challenger George Groves (19-0, 15 KO’s) during their meeting on Thursday’s Sky Ringside. Froch seemed to get upset when Groves described how he’ll go about beating him on November 23rd in their fight at the Manchester Arena. Froch didn’t tear up, but he looked very emotional and kept asking Sky host Johnny Nelson to ask him questions in what appeared to be a way to steer around the moment.
It’s unclear why Froch would get so worked up over Groves describing how he’ll go about winning the fight, because Froch has obviously heard similar things from his other opponents in the past.
I thought it was a bad idea for Froch to attend the Ringside special with Groves because I had a feeling something like this would happen after their previous one-on-one meeting with Johnny Nelson interviewing them. Just like this time, Nelson stood back and let them go at each other and Groves appeared to get the better of Froch verbally. After that meeting, I thought Froch would have been better off skipping any other meetings with Groves other than just the final press conference and weigh-in.
Here’s how it went on the Sky Ringside episode:
Groves: “So that’s it, Carl? One punch? Calm down, Carl. I’ll put this chump asleep, you’ll see. I will knock him out. He won’t hear the final bell. I will knock him out. I’m going to choose to beat him in many different ways and then I’m going to put him to sleep.”
Froch [now looking emotional: “Johnny, how are you not laughing. Go on. What were you going to say?”
Adam Smith [directions question to Froch]: “You’re finding this tough, aren’t you?”
Froch: “Yeah, go on. Ask me any questions.”
Groves: “You’re going to cry. You’re going to cry. Don’t cry.”
Froch: “I apologize on George’s behalf.”
Groves: “He’s going to cry. Adam, is he going to cry? He’s holding you okay.”
Froch: “What’s happening right now?”
Groves: “Eddie is sitting here but he can’t help you. You can ask for his reassurance, but he can’t help you, Carl. I’m sorry but you’re going to have to hold it together all by yourself.”
Froch: “Are you going to ask me a question, Johnny?”
Groves: “You look like you’re on the verge of tears.”
Froch’s promoter Eddie Hearn could have and probably should have stepped in to throw Froch a lifeline when he started getting emotional, but instead he just sat there in between them with a grin on his face and letting Groves tear into Froch about how he thought he was on the verge of tears. It was pretty bad looking to be honest because Froch looked very upset and it was clearly an emotional moment for him. Smith and Nelson weren’t saying anything and had completely stopped asking questions. They were just letting it go on.
If Froch is going to be on the Ringside show with Groves in the future, Froch might want to play it like David Haye did when he and Wladimir Klitschko were on the same show by having them stay in separate rooms.
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