By Scott Gilfoid: Former three time super middleweight world title challenger George Groves (24-3, 18 KOs) will be fighting next month against former European Boxing Union light heavyweight champion Eduard Gutknecht (30-4-1, 13 KOs) on November 18 at the Wembley Arena in London, UK. The winner of the Groves vs. Gutknecht fight will likely be getting a crack at the WBC title next year.
They might be able to leap frog over the higher ranked contenders to get a crack. I’m not sure if that would be fair, but it’s boxing. Gutknecht isn’t ranked in the top 15 by any of the sanctioning bodies, so a win for Groves over him shouldn’t lead to a title shot unless it’s a voluntary defense by one of the champions.
This is kind of a mismatch. Gutknecht can’t punch and he’s up there in age at 34. You have to wonder why Groves isn’t being matched tougher by being put in with #1 WBC Callum Smith or #2 WBC Anthony Dirrell. I’m sure those guys wouldn’t mind fighting Groves.
It’s unclear why Groves, 28, is taking this fight though, because it’s a step down from his last match against Martin Murray last June. At least with the 34-year-old Murray, he was a contender at 168 when Groves fought him. The 34-year-old Gutknecht is just a 2nd tier guy and former world title challenger, who was soundly beaten by former WBA World light heavyweight champion Juergen Braehmer by a lopsided 12 round unanimous decision last March in Germany.
Gutknecht hadn’t done anything to be given a world title shot against Braehmer. It was a situation where Gutknecht was pulled up from the 168lb division to fight for a world title against Braehmer at 175. Gutknecht had won his last four fights against obscure opposition at the time that he was given a title shot against Braehmer.
Gutknecht did win his last fight against someone named Arlem Redko. I can’t say I’ve ever heard of the 34-year-old fighter before, but then again, I have never heard of most of the names on Gutknecht’s resume. He’s fought a lot of unknown guys.
Groves is ranked #3 WBA, #3 WBC, #4 WBO, #10 IBF at super middleweight. He’s waiting for his title shot, but it’s taking a while this time. Groves has already fought for a world title three times in losing to Carl Froch twice and Badou Jack. It’s interesting how Groves keeps getting cracks at titles despite doing precious little in between those fights. All Groves had to do for him to get a title shot against Badou Jack for his WBC title was beat Denis Douglin and Christopher Rebrasse. Groves didn’t have to beat anyone good to get the title shot.
“It goes without saying that I am now determined to challenge again, and this time succeed in becoming a world champion,” said Groves.
Groves has a three-fight winning streak since getting beaten by Badou Jack last year. Groves has since defeated Andrea Di Luisa, David Brophy and Martin Murray. The wins over Di Luisa and Brophy were against 2nd tier fighters. Murray was ranked in the top 15, as I mentioned previously. However, Groves is now going back to fighting 2nd tier opposition in facing Gutknecht.
“I only want to fight winners and make them lose! George Groves is a winner and a world class fighter but so am I. The fans in London are in for a hell of a fight on November 18,” said Gutknecht.
Gutknecht says he wants to fight “winners and make them lose,” but he hasn’t been doing that during his career. When Gutknecht has stepped up it up against better fighters, he’s been beaten each time. Gutknecht has suffered losses to Robert Stieglitz, Braehmer x2] and Dmitry Sukhotsky. The guys that Gutknecht has beaten during his career have been the weak variety at the European level rather than the world class level.
Groves should be able to beat Gutknecht on November 18, but the win will tell us nothing. Groves has proven that he can be 2nd tier fighters like Gutknecht. Where Groves falls apart is when he gets put in with world class opposition. Yeah, Groves can be counted on to beat fodder, but he does horrible when you throw him in with a live body. As such, I don’t see Groves winning a world title in the future no matter how many fighters like Gutknecht, Brophy and Di Luisa are fed to him.