By Scott Gilfoid: Amir Khan is going with IBF/WBA super middleweight champion Carl Froch (32-2, 23 KO’s) to beat George Groves (19-1 15 KO’s) in their rematch this month on May 31st at the Wembley Stadium in London, UK. Khan likes Froch’s strength and experience in this fight, and he feels that Froch will be ready for Groves in the early part of the fight to avoid getting nailed by his big shots like last time they fought in November of last year.
“I think it’s a 50-50 fight,” says Khan to Sky Ringside. “It’ll depend on who starts first, and who starts the quickest. If you look at Groves what gave him confidence in the first fight is putting Froch down, and then he had a great few rounds after that. This time Froch is going to know what to expect. He’s going to be more smarter in this fight. I favor Froch in this one. He’s the bigger, stronger guy with more experience, but I think the tables can turn.”
I’m not sure that I buy the whole aspect of the guy who starts the fight ends up winning it. Heck, we saw Groves start fast last November in putting Froch on the canvas in the 1st round, and beating him like a drum until the 7th round. The fight changed in rounds 7 through 9, as Groves faded slightly. There was still a lot of fight left in him, and the outcome was far from decided at the time that referee Howard John Foster prematurely stopped the fight in the 9th. But the fact that Groves faced in the fight tells you that it’s pretty much meaningless which fighter gets the upper hand in the early part of the fight.
Groves can definitely win this fight if he fights smart this time, conserves his energy, and avoids standing in front of Froch when he comes charging forward like a locomotive. I wouldn’t expect Groves to have quick feet like Andre Dirrell or Andre Ward to avoid Froch’s attacks, but he should be able to move 2-3 feet in either left or right to dodge Froch. If Groves can dodge Froch’s attacks, and conserve energy, he’s going to win this fight. Groves is the faster, younger, stronger and more talented fighter, and he should be able to beat Froch with no problems as long as he’s smart this time.
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