Where were you when Carl Froch and Groves fought in front of 80,000 fans in Wembley? Does George Groves beat Canelo Alvarez in his prime? Would you stay up for a Mayweather vs Pacquiao rematch?
The former WBA super-middleweight champion spills all as he boldly stated that he would have beaten Canelo Alvarez if he was still boxing and reminisced upon the iconic ‘’Froch vs Groves II’’ fight in Wembley almost ten years ago. He also gave his thoughts on the likes of Mike Tyson and Floyd Mayweather returning to the ring in possible exhibitions. Speaking to grosvenorcasinos.com, Groves said:
Groves: I would have beaten Canelo Alvarez
I was unstoppable at super middleweight, you can’t deny Canelo is a force, but Bivol showed you a blueprint on how to beat him. You can’t go in there and be reckless, you’d have to be measured like Bivol was. I was good with my feet, good with my straight shots and I wouldn’t let Canelo close the distance and I wouldn’t linger on the ropes and it would have been my hardest fight if it had happened, but there’s no way I would not have dealt Canelo a loss.
It’s time for Kell Brook let the boxing dream go
You’ve got to let it go, even when he was fighting I thought he wasn’t the fighter he once was, he needs to give up the dream and find a new passion that gives him that new lease of life, father time catches up with all of us and time moves on. You can’t be the man forever, you can’t be the man in the arena forever. If he needs to be involved I’m boxing, get down the gym and coach some of the youth, the next generation, they’ll be looking up to Kell, he’s a former world champion. That will give him that comforting feeling of achievement. But the boxing dream needs to go now because Eubank isn’t interested in fighting Kell as long as the Benn fight is there. Commercially I don’t think there’s enough money in it for Eubank.
I may start to feel ‘paranoid’ as ten year Carl Froch Wembley anniversary approaches
Sometimes it feels like a quick ten years and sometimes it does not. The way I feel about it will ramp up as we get closer to it. The ten year anniversary of the first fight last November, I was sort of looking forward to it but then I started reminiscing and got a bit sad. I’m not sure what to expect come the Wembley anniversary because at the time, when it happened, I was devastated and then I was paranoid about what the history of this rivalry would be. But as time went on, I got comfortable with what I went on to do and how ultimately how that rematch was remembered, but the paranoia will be when we get closer to that ten year anniversary – will that change and will become something I’m not comfortable with? I can’t see it. Ultimately I’m remembered predominantly for a fight I lost, but it is a part of British boxing archives, there’s not many fights that have that stamp and status.
Calzaghe versus Froch would not be a foregone conclusion
Even Froch would say that he couldn’t match Joe Calzaghe for hand speed, punch output, or endurance. He’d have to punch with him and he’d back himself to do so. Calzaghe got off the floor to win in the past, so if you can catch him, he can go. Also Froch is an underrated boxer, he had a very good, long job and he was awkward with his hands low. There was no quit in him and carries power to the late rounds. On their best nights you’d say Calzaghe could keep him off, but it wouldn’t be a foregone conclusion, I’d pick Calzaghe on hand speed and footwork, creating angles and never letting Froch set.
Andre Ward is wrong, AJ beats him everyday of the week
Ande Ward was very good at nullifying and not allowing you to get the work off and that’s how I think he arrived at Calzaghe being a tougher night than AJ. I don’t know if he’s ever fought a heavyweight, 6’6 and 17 stone, surely not? If he could get up to 16 stone he could potentially box and out fiddle Joshua but if he gets caught he’s going to get hurt. You’ve got to be realistic Joshua’s huge, it’s going to be very hard to get past his jab. I’m picking AJ every day of the week.
The best fight between Matchroom and Queensbury’s stables is Wardley versus Dubois
If it’s not got Joshua versus Fury at the top of the card it’s not going to cross over into the mainstream. But Anthony Yarde and Craig Richards is a great fight. Nick Ball and Josh Warrington is another. I don’t think their prospects will want to fight each other, Moses Ituama, the heavyweight sensation – for what I hear and understand he’s a force and going to the top – put him in with Fabio Wardley. Or Wardley versus Dubois. Wardley Dubois is the best fight you can make.
Mayweather-Pacquaio rematch would be like masters football.
I wouldn’t be staying up for Mayweather Pacquiao if they rematch. Pacquiao was amazing, a phenomenal fighter. I don’t think it would affect their legacies, it’s not like they’re at the tail end of their careers and getting beat by upcoming fighters. Mayweather has plenty of exhibitions and it would be like a masters football setup.
I don’t want to see Fedor Emelianenko hurt Mike Tyson if that exhibitions happens
I don’t want to see Mike Tyson get knocked out against Fedor Emelianenko, that’s what I don’t want. But if Mike Tyson is going to get the gloves on and he’s in reasonable shape I’d like to see it. I like that nostalgia. If someone got me tickets to see the Rolling Stones, I know they’d have been better 30 years ago, but yes I want to go – and it’s the same as Mike Tyson. But I don’t want to see him get hurt. An exhibition, sure, but not in a real fight.