Badou Jack hoping to face George Groves on Mayweather undercard next September

By Boxing News - 05/01/2015 - Comments

1-EW5G6378By Scott Gilfoid: WBC super middleweight champion Badou Jack (19-1-1, 12 KOs) wants his first defense of his World Boxing Council 168 pound title against #1 WBC George Groves (21-2, 16 KOs) to take place next September on the undercard of Floyd Mayweather Jr’s last fight of his career at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Jack, 31, thinks that would be the most ideal situation for him. However, Groves and his promoters at Sauerland Events are hoping to stage the Jack vs. Groves fight in the UK, and they’re obviously going to put up some stiff resistance to Jack in order to get their way.

Besides seeing the Mayweather undercard as a great chance of getting a lot of visibility from millions of boxing fans, Jack has his concerns about traveling to the UK and trying to win a decision over there against the UK borne Groves.

“I could travel to England for the Groves fight, I’ve got no problem with that but I would prefer it to be where we’re standing right now, at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas,” Jack said via the Dailymail.co.uk. “But it’s up to my team and it depends how the negotiations go. I’m ready to fight wherever. As far as judges and stuff, it’s probably better to fight here for me.”

Badou Jack is promoted by Mayweather Promotions. They would have to be willing to compete with Sauerland in the purse bid for them to be able to get the fight staged in the U.S. It’s definitely possible for Mayweather Promotions to win the purse bid, but the question is will it pay off to try and out-bid Sauerland? Either way, it’s going to be a great fight.

If Jack has to go to the UK to defend his WBC title, then it’s just going to put more pressure on him to go out and score a knockout so that he doesn’t have to deal with the judges. Jack definitely has the punching power and the fighting style to make this a very easy fight if he wants to. He’s going to need to go after Groves and not let him move around the ring looking to steal rounds by landing shots here and there.

Groves looks to be a much different fighter ever since he was knocked out in back to back fights against Carl Froch. Groves hasn’t looked nearly as confident as he was for his first fight against Froch. In Groves’ last two fights against Christopher Rebrasse and Denis Douglin, he looked like a shell of his former self.

“I’m not sure exactly what date I will make the first defence against Groves,” Jack said. “I am hoping it will be on Floyd’s undercard in September. That would be good for everyone and we’re looking at that option now. I’ll be ready. I would rather fight George Groves. I already beat one guy [Dirrell] so why would I fight him again? I don’t think it was that close. I want to fight Groves.”

Anthony Dirrell wants a rematch against Jack after losing to him by a 12 round majority decision on April 24th last month, but it’s unclear if he’s going to be able to get one. Dirrell might have to wait until Jack gets done with the Groves fight because he gets his turn.



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