By Daniel Hughes: This coming Thursday on the UK boxing show Sky Ringside see’s the coming together of IBF/WBA super middleweight champion Carl Froch (32-2, 23 KO’s) and challenger George Groves (19-1, 15 KO’s) ahead of their much anticipated rematch next month on May 31st at the Wembley stadium, in London, UK.
This is a chance once again for the 26-year-old Groves to do what in my opinion he did so well first time around by getting into Froch’s head in the build up to the controversial first meeting last November. It surprised many how easy Groves was able to rile Froch last year, and you could see how uncomfortable the WBA and IBF 168lb champion looked the last time the verbal sparring was taken up a notch.
The rematch is set to break all box office records here in the UK with 80,000 paying at the gate. The PPV figures on UK sales will make all parties, promoter Eddie Hearn, SKY TV and of course the two fighters very satisfied financially with how the fight has been marketed.
The interest in the fight here in the UK is huge. The last two previous fights at Wembley stadium were Frank Bruno’s failed heavyweight title against Tim Witherspoon 1986, and Bruno vs. Oliver McCall in 1994. The Bruno-Witherspoon fight drew 40,000 fans with no PPV or live coverage. The Bruno-McCall fight drew 23,000 fans, and it was shown live on Sky TV. The numbers put the Froch-Groves part two in perspective.
The building of any major fight demands that hype, and animosity is always intensified between the fighters. To the seasoned boxing fan well aware it is often just a tool to bring in interest from media, casual PPV fan to help build the financial pot. The bottom line boxing is a business first and foremost. If it makes money in boxing it makes sense. The fighters who aware of the need to sell a fight buy into it, as does their respective management teams. The respect often shown once the final bell sounds obvious to all the argument left in the ring. Nothing personal, just business the way of the boxing world.
This fight is in the small percentage where you can honestly say there is genuine dislike between the two fighters, personal dislike but grudging professional respect both now know what the other brings to the table. The first fight has been covered in many column inches, in what should have ended in a natural conclusion in one way or another. Froch the seasoned veteran who took Groves’ best shots to turn it around. Froch was shocked and frustrated by the reaction after the premature ending and the public outcry afterwards.
The referee, Froch feels robbed him of a stoppage.
Groves’ stock has risen, and his purse for the second meeting also. Groves was booed into the ring last November, but cheered out of it due to the performance he displayed. Groves fought the fight of his young career. This time looking to take the second opportunity to show and prove he would have gone on to beat Froch, take his titles, the plaudits, the glory and the riches a win the fight in November 2013 would have brought him.
When the rematch was announced the fighters came together at Wembley stadium, Froch again didn’t take long to take umbrage to Groves just being around him by shoving Groves. The buildup begins in earnest Thursday it will make for interesting viewing. The fight that now sells itself second time out that really was built off the initial verbal exchanges last autumn.
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