WBA Super World Super Middleweight champion George Groves (26-3, 19 KOs) and Jamie Cox (24-0,13 KOs) went head-to-head at the last pre fight press conference before their Ali Trophy quarter-final on Saturday at The SSE Arena Wembley in London.

“I feel I’m in the form of my career,” said Groves.

“This tournament has come along for me at the perfect time. I’ve had a fantastic camp. Everything that we wanted to happen did happen. It’s gone perfectly. I know what Jamie Cox can bring. I know that we maybe haven’t seen the best of Jamie yet because he’s fought nowhere near the level that I have.

He hasn’t fought any big names, he hasn’t been in world title fights and he’ll have to take a giant leap on Saturday night. Both he and his trainer will wonder whether he can take that leap. When he’s boxed at a lower level he’s dropped to that level and maybe he’s that sort of fighter. Maybe he can rise to the occasion but maybe not.”

“He’s been gifted with a world title shot. He hasn’t fought anyone decent to get this. I’ve picked him, it’s fantastic for him. We’re hoping that the best of Jamie Cox will show up. I look forward to going out and performing and performing well. And to show everyone in the division that I’m still the man to beat.”

Said Jamie Cox:

“I’m going to win. It’s as simple as that. No question about it. I’ve come into this to win the tournament. George is the first stop. I’m ready. I don’t know why he chose me. Everyone in the tournament is good, but I’m going to make my mark.”

Said Comosa’s Chief Boxing Officer, Kalle Sauerland:

“I am here with two absolute athletes. George Groves, the man to beat in the tournament. He’s the WBA super champion, the best super middleweight when one looks at all the names. That’s why he’s the number one seed.

A lot of people are talking about a Eubank Jr. vs. Groves semi-final but Jamie Cox comes in with a nothing to lose situation. He’s an undefeated challenger and you have a storyline that you couldn’t put into a Hollywood thriller.

We’re lucky to be sitting here every week ringside at this great fights and this is no different.”

Promotor Eddie Hearn:

“It is a big opportunity but it’s not one Jamie Cox doesn’t deserve. Jamie Cox has been wanting to become a world champion for a long time. There’s been talk of a Chris Eubank Jr. vs. George Groves fight and we’re here to disrupt the plans.”

“Jamie Cox has been talked about for a long, long time as a great fighter, a great puncher. The world around the business is that Jamie is the real deal. It’s only when you step up to this level that you find out if it’s true. And if it is true I believe he can win the world title on Saturday night.

The tournament is a massive opportunity and we thank Kalle Sauerland and the World Boxing Super Series for it. Now we have the opportunity there’s only one thing to do and that’s go and become world champion.”

George Groves’ trainer, Shane McGuigan:

“George Groves has always strived to be the best that he can be. He’s got a very confident attitude but he’s still putting in all the graft. The camp has gone fantastic, it’s been 12 great weeks.

Jamie Cox has been a pro for a long time and there are still question marks over his quality. He hasn’t proven himself at the top level and maybe there’s a reason he hasn’t stepped up to that level in the past.”

Jamie Cox’s trainer, John Costello:

“Size had no relevance that evening and it will certainly have no relevance on Saturday night. Jamie’s ability and what he brings will be very relevant because we’re taking that WBC Super Championship home with us. I’ve said it before, but I like to repeat: George Groves made a big mistake when he picked Jamie Cox.”

Tickets for the Ali Trophy quarter-final clash on Saturday in London are on sale ranging from rom £35 to £130 at stubhub.co.uk.

Coach John Costello believes George Groves made a big mistake when he selected Jamie Cox as his quarter-final opponent ahead of their all-British Muhammad Ali Trophy showdown on Saturday at the SSE Arena, Wembley in London.

Costello has been in Cox’s corner for the last 11 years and has helped shape the Swindon man into the fighter he is today. His first World Boxing Super Series test will see the undefeated 31 year-old challenge for the WBA Super World belt.

“We always wanted this fight with George Groves. We’d asked for this fight before so when George picked Jamie in Monte Carlo we was in our element. All our Christmases had come at once,” reveals Costello, who believes his boxer has the beating of any man in the super middleweight division.

‘’I’ve said it before and people have laughed at me. I’ve believe Jamie can beat any 12 stone fighter on the planet. People are talking about size but that has no relevance for me. Carl Froch was 12 stone 4 when he fought George Groves at Wembley, and I believe George was over 13 stone. Jamie will be heavier than 12 stone 4. Jamie would be dehydrated if he got into the ring at 12 stone 4.

“Size had no relevance that evening and it will certainly have no relevance on Saturday night. Jamie’s ability and what he brings will be very relevant because we’re taking that WBC Super Championship home with us. That’s 100% set in stone. We’re here to a do a job and that’s what we are going to do. George Groves made a big mistake when he picked Jamie Cox.”

Tickets for George Groves vs. Jamie Cox at The SSE Arena Wembley are available via stubhub.co.uk

George Groves (26-9, 13 KOs) says size matters and has predicted a stoppage win over domestic rival Jamie Cox (24-0, 13 KOs) in their World Boxing Super Series quarter-final contest on Saturday at The SSE Arena Wembley in London.

Groves will be making a first defence of the WBA Super title he claimed with a sixth-round TKO victory over Fedor Chudinov on May 27 in Sheffield, and ‘The Saint’ is confident of retaining his belt and landing a semi-final spot opposite Chris Eubank Jr, who secured a statement win over Avni Yildirim last Saturday in Stuttgart.

“I’ve always done well against guys I’m naturally bigger than,” said the 29 year-old from Hammersmith. “Jamie is not so big so if he comes in heavy he is going to be slow. He fights at middleweight and could probably even make super welter if he needed to.

“He has had to bulk up to get to the super middleweight division. I don’t. I could never make middleweight. I have to have a full camp to make super middleweight. I make it and I make it well. I’m physically strong and on point when I’m there, but I couldn’t do anything lighter. Size is going to be very important on the night and I believe I’ll end the fight before the distance.

“Jamie is a fit lad and he trains hard. That will increase his powers of recovery so if he does get buzzed or wobbled he’s more likely to be able to ride the storm. Martin Murray was similar. He wasn’t as big as me. He couldn’t find his range and I was landing big heavy shots on him. I couldn’t get rid of him that night. Maybe I could if I had applied myself more, but I didn’t need to, I was in full control.

“Against Jamie, I’m going to land even cleaner. He doesn’t have the boxing brain Martin Murray does. I don’t think he will be able to negate his way through difficult situations. Once I set a few traps and he falls for them, I’m going to land big shots and he’s going to go.”

Cox, however, who enters the ring with an undefeated record of 24-0, believes it will be a matter of hunger and not size.

“George Groves has been eating lobster, while I’ve been eating crisp sandwiches,’’ he says. “We live completely different lives. I’m the hungrier fighter. This is a big opportunity for me and I’m going to take it. I’m feeling good, I’m ready and I’m looking forward to the occasion.”

Tickets for George Groves vs. Jamie Cox at The SSE Arena Wembley are available via https://www.ssearena.co.uk/

Jamie Cox (24-0, 13 KOs) says he is ready to unleash his full potential as he prepares for his World Boxing Super Series quarter-final contest against George Groves (26-3, 19 KOs) on October 14 at the SSE Arena, Wembley in London.

“It’s an honour to be part of the World Boxing Super Series,” said Cox. “Some great names, some great fights, the best fighting the best, that’s what it should be about with The Muhammad Ali Trophy as the end result. I set my targets high and this is the big one.”

Do you see this tournament as a chance to show your full potential?

“I have done it in the gyms with world champions, now it’s time to do it on the big stage. I am looking forward to showcasing myself and show people what I am about and how hard I work in the gym and the dedication I have to the game.”

Are you happy with what you have achieved so far in your career?

“I don’t care about my trophies and what I have achieved so far, the past is irrelevant, I care about the future and the future is now. The goal is to win the Muhammad Ali Trophy. Beating George Groves is the first step and step by step I will reach my goal.”

How is it to work under John Costello?

“I have been working with John for 10 or 11 years now. John is the man. We are very close, like family. John is honest, he has great passion for the game and he has a great eye for boxing. He sees boxing very good and the technical ability, he has a lot of national champions in his gym and that’s all down to technique. He has a great work ethic. Whether it’s a good or bad situation he is correct and you have to focus on every detail in what he is saying. We have made it far, but now we are going to capitalise!”

How would you describe this training camp compared to your previous preparations?

“It’s serious now. This is page one in the story of my future. I am enjoying and embracing the hard work it takes to win the Muhammad Ali Trophy. And I am not only going to win this trophy for myself; I am winning it for my family, my friends, my promoter, my team. Everyone who really knows me knows that all I really concentrate on is boxing, my family, my friends and my team and I am very loyal to my people. We are all in the same boat.”

Tickets for the Ali Trophy quarter-final Groves vs. Cox on October 14 at the SSE Arena, Wembley in London are on sale ranging from £35 to £130 at axs.com.

www.WorldBoxingSuperSeries.com

Photos are free to use, but please credit WBSS.
For higher res images, please email Matt Rich: MJR@WorldBoxingSuperSeries.com
WORLD BOXING SUPER SERIES FIXTURES & RESULTS

09/09/17 – Cruiserweight Quarter-Final:
Oleksandr Usyk vs. Marco Huck (WBO World) – Usyk Won (TKO 10)
Max-Schmeling-Halle, Berlin, Germany

16/09/17 – Super Middleweight Quarter-Final:
Callum Smith vs. Erik Skoglund (WBC Diamond) – Smith Won (UD)
Echo Arena, Liverpool, United Kingdom

23/09/17 – Cruiserweight Quarter-Final:
Yunier Dorticos vs. Dmitry Kudryashov (WBA World) – Dorticos Won (KO 2)
Alamodome, San Antonio, Texas, USA

30/09/17 – Cruiserweight Quarter-Final:
Mairis Briedis vs. Mike Perez (WBC World) – Briedis Won (UD)
Riga Arena, Riga, Latvia

07/10/17 – Super Middleweight Quarter-Final:
Chris Eubank Jr vs. Avni Yildirim (IBO World)
Hanns-Martin-Schleyer Halle, Stuttgart, Germany

14/10/17 – Super Middleweight Quarter-Final:
George Groves vs. Jamie Cox (WBA Super)
The SSE Arena, Wembley, London, United Kingdom

21/10/17 – Cruiserweight Quarter-Final:
Murat Gassiev vs. Krzysztof Wlodarczyk (IBF World)
Prudential Center, Newark, New Jersey, USA

27/10/17 – Super Middleweight Quarter-Final:
Juergen Braehmer vs. Rob Brant
Sport- und Kongresshalle, Schwerin, Germany

WORLD BOXING SUPER SERIES AT A GLANCE
Number of participants: 16
Number of belts: 7
Number of world champions: 6
Number of former world champions: 3
Number of undefeated fighters: 9
Combined Record of participants: 423 wins, 17 losses, 294 KOs

ABOUT THE WORLD BOXING SUPER SERIES
Organised by Comosa AG, the World Boxing Super Series will kick off in September 2017, featuring the Cruiserweight and Super Middleweight divisions. In each weight class, eight elite boxers will battle it out in a bracket-style elimination tournament, with four quarter-finals (fall 2017), two semi-finals (early 2018) and one final (May 2018). This makes for seven top fights per weight class, and a total of 14 fights in Season One to be staged in premier venues around the globe. The winners of the World Boxing Super Series will rightfully receive The Greatest Prize in Boxing, the Muhammad Ali Trophy. Please visit our website WorldBoxingSuperSeries.com for more information or follow @WBSuperSeries onTwitter, Facebook, or Instagram.

Atlantic City, New Jersey (August 1, 2017)–Super Middleweight contender Derrick Webster is looking to fight the elite of the division, but he first first must get by Lamar Harris in a scheduled eight-round bout that will headline a big night of boxing at The Claridge Hotel in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

The show is promoted by Mis Downing Promotions and Square Ring Promotions.

Webster of Glassboro, New Jersey has a record of 23-1 with 12 knockouts.

Webster has been on a roll, and now he looks to continue his momentum against Harris.

“I really don’t know much about him. I just know that he knows that he is fighting me. I don’t know him, but I am sure he knows who I am,” said Webster.

Webster attributes his most recent success to a more active schedule as this will be his 3rd fight of this year and 5th fight in the last 14 months.

“The more that I fight, the more consistent that I am. When I had other people in charge of my career, I was fighting less frequent. Maybe fighting every six or seven months. Now I have been more active and that goes hand in hand with my performances. I was getting in the ring to trying shake off ring-rust and now I am going in there not worrying about that.”

Webster is not overlooking Harris, but He is looking to close of 2017 fighting higher level of opponents, and in 2018 looking for a big title shot.

“My target is WBA champion George Groves. I never wanted to face Harris. I wanted to fight guys with better records and for many reasons including opponents pricing themselves out, but guys won’t fight me. I do appreciate that Harris stepped up for the challenge so I respect him for that. Hopefully I can fight someone like Mike Tiberi next for a major regional title, then have my eye towards a world title in 2018.”

In the eight-round co-feature, come-backing cruiserweight Prince Badi Ajamu (27-3-1, 15 KO’s) of Camden, NJ will take on Edgar Perez (7-21, 3 Kos) of Chicago.

Also on the bill will be former United States Olympian Terrance Cauthen (36-8, 9 KO’s) of Trenton, NJ will fight Nick Valliere (5-2, 2 KO’s) of Forked River, New Jersey in a six-round super welterweight bout.

In a ten round-bout:

World-Ranked Heavyweight, Zhang Zhilei (16-0, 12 KOs) of Las Vegas via China, and is ranked number-13 by the WBO will take on Nick Guivas (13-7-2, 9 KO’s) of Topeka, Kansas.

also in six-round bouts:

Mike Hilton (6-0, 6 KOs) of Trenton, NJ will take on veteran Willis Lockett (14-20-6, 5 KO’s) of Takoma Park, Maryland in a cruiserweight bout.

Vidal Rivera (6-0, 4 KO’s) of Camden, New Jersey will take on an opponent to be named in a featherweight bout.

In four round bouts:

Shaddy Gamhour (1-0, 1 KO) of Pensacola, Florida will battle Jessie Singletary (0-2) of Washington, DC in a middleweight bout.

Lamont McLaughlin (0-1) of Philadelphia battles Tahlik Taylor (1-7) of Freeport, NY in a super middleweight affair.

Dion Richardson (3-1, 2 KOs) of Newark, NJ will fight against Felip Nazario (0-7) of Bronx, NY in a lightweight bout.

THERE WILL BE A PRESS CONFERENCE ON THURSDAY, AUGUST 3RD AT THE FLAGSHIP HOTEL (60 NORTH MAINE AVENUE IN ATLANTIC CITY) AT 5 PM ET

Tickets are priced at $125, $100, $75 & $50 and can be purchased at The Claridge Hotel or by calling 609-815-1181

Super Middleweights George Groves and Jamie Cox will fight in the opening round of the World Boxing Super Series on October 14 in London, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

“It’s a long tournament, so I picked the easy guy first,” Groves said at the time.

“I’m happy with my choice of opponent. I know there are no easy fights in this tournament and there are no easy fights at world level, but Jamie is the guy I know the most about,” Groves said. “I know about his background, I know how he trains, I know who he trains with, but most importantly, I know the things you need in this tournament, such as composure and experience at the highest level he’s lacking.

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“I’ve got them in abundance, but he’s brand new, he’s a total novice. I don’t think he’s even headlined his own show yet and he’s getting flung in the deep end with me. This is a big pressure fight for him and I think he’ll struggle to cope.”

“I’m really looking forward to getting started,” Groves said. “It’s great to have a date set so early to give you something to strive for. I’m already in the gym plugging away and I’ve got plenty of time to prepare.”

“I’m really excited for this fight,” Cox said. “To win a world title on the way to fighting for the Muhammad Ali Trophy [that will go to the tournament winners] would be a huge honor. I’m glad George picked me. I was prepared for anyone but I was hoping for a U.K. fight so I can’t wait.

“George is a tough opponent. He has some good attributes but I’m prepared to shock everyone. This is what I’ve been working toward all my career, and to be a part of something this big is amazing. Now I’m here, I’m ready to capitalize on it and win my first world title and progress to the semifinals.”

Super Middleweight beltholder, George Groves has entered the World Boxing Super Series, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

“I see the World Boxing Super Series as a chance for me to show everyone that I’m the best in the division,” Groves said. “I believe I am the best super middleweight on the planet and certainly the man to beat at 168 pounds. I am proud to bring my WBA super middleweight title to the tournament. I want to continue to test myself against the best, and I am ready and willing to fight anyone. It will be exciting to see who else has the courage to enter such a brutal competition.”

“The World Boxing Super Series is exactly what fighters and fans need — a simple and straightforward way to determine the best fighter in the division,” Groves said. “I am really keen to be the first super middleweight to lift the Muhammad Ali Trophy.”

“There is never a dull moment in his fights, and that is what makes him a standout participant of the inaugural season of the World Boxing Super Series,” Richard Schaefer said. “George will now face the challenge of going from the hunter to the hunted. This will be really intriguing considering the lineup we will announce.”

Joe Gallagher says Paul Smith (38-6, 22 KOs) can emulate George Groves’ feel good story by claiming a World title on his third attempt when he challenges Tyron Zeuge (20-0-1, 11 KOs) for the WBA World Super Middleweight strap on Saturday, June 15 at the Rittal Arena in Wetzlar, Germany.

Groves won World honours at the fourth time of asking with a stunning sixth-round stoppage victory over the granite chinned Fedor Chudinov on May 27 at Bramall Lane in Sheffield following two epic clashes with domestic rival Carl Froch and a split decision loss to Badou Jack.

Gallagher believes Smith, who returns to Germany for a third World title challenge after back-to-back defeats to Arthur Abraham, can mimic Groves’ success by using his ring smarts and experience to dethrone the WBA ‘regular’ champion.

‘’If Paul Smith turns up like he did in the first fight with Abraham then we are leaving Germany with that belt,’’ said Gallagher. ‘’That was a good fight. It was nip and tuck. We had success and when the bell went and I thought we might have nicked it. No one gave him a chance going into that fight, but he went in there, acquitted himself well, and a lot of people thought he deserved to win.

‘’This is now his third attempt, and at this stage of his career, it’s the last roll of the dice. But I just have a good feeling about this fight. I think we could see another feel good story in British boxing, like we saw with George Groves. He won the World title on his fourth attempt and what a great story that was. Hopefully Paul can do the same and go and win that belt.

‘’He has the experience now. He’s been there before and he’s not going to be overawed with anything. It’s not like a kid going away and fighting for the World title for the first time. Paul doesn’t have to go through that this time. He knows the set up He’s well travelled and he’s used to fighting away from home.

‘’Experience is vitally important but it’s no good having experience unless you’re gong to do something with it. There’s a lot of talk sometimes about people having experience, but when you’ve got a young hungry fighter that want to make a statement and want to make a name for themselves, they can be very dangerous.

‘’Zeuge is that type of fighter. He’s a young champion who is trying to make his name for himself and trying to get to where fighters like Arthur Abraham have been in his country. So Paul has to be smart and use his ring experience. He needs to make sure that when Zeuge makes mistakes, which we know he does, he’s ready and in the right position to capitalize on this and counter.

‘’There’s no point Paul trying to fight like someone running a 100 meter race with someone ten years younger. You just can’t keep up. He’s got to use his intelligence like Bernard Hopkins did for so many years. He’s got to know when to punch and when not to punch. He’s got to be the smart old man in the fight.’’

The WBA World Super Middleweight Championship clash between Tyron Zeuge and Paul Smith will be shown live and exclusive on SAT.1 and ran.de in Germany, and Sky Sports in the UK. Limited tickets are still available online via www.eventim.de or by calling the ticket hotline on +49 (0) 1806-570044.

Shane McGuigan says he believes George Groves (25-3, 18 KOs) is the best super middleweight on the planet and that the ‘Saint’ is ready to prove it starting on Saturday at Bramall Lane in Sheffield when he challenges Fedor Chudinov (14-1, 10 KOs) for the vacant WBA World title, live on Sky Sports Box Office.

Groves will be making his fourth World title attempt following two epic clashes with domestic rival Carl Froch and a split decision loss to Badou Jack, and McGuigan feels it is these fights that have helped shape the man he will be leading into battle, and who he says is the number one fighter in the division.

‘’You either win or you learn, as they say, and George has learnt his lessons. He’s been in there with some great fighters, and even when he hasn’t won, he’s always held himself in good stead, and now, I believe it’s his time,’’ said McGuigan, who has led Groves to victories over Andrea Di Luisa, David Brophy, Martin Murray and Eduard Gutknecht since taking charge of his corner eighteen months ago.

‘’Chudinov is a well-schooled fighter. He’s obviously had a good amateur background, and he’s a former World Champion, but I don’t think he’s on the same level as George. He hasn’t mixed with the same class.

‘’His greatest attribute is his footwork, and if we take that away from him, it will be interesting to see how he adapts because George has got a fantastic jab, a great punch selection, great leverage on his shots and fantastic timing too.

‘’He’s definitely a good fighter. He’s small, he’s compact, and can punch with both hands, but I think George is going to come out there and put on a great show.

‘’It may seem brash or bold for me to say this about someone who’s had three failed attempts, but I honestly believe I’m working with the best super middleweight in the world, and now, we’ve just got to go out there and prove it.

‘’I think within the next one or two fights, George will be recognised as the best super middleweight out there. He is going to be the guy to beat!

‘’He’s already beaten James DeGale who has been touted as number one in the division. He lost a very close decision to Badou Jack when things weren’t right for George going in to that fight. He wasn’t at his best, and Jack was a very underrated fighter as we saw when he fought DeGale. I thought Jack won that fight, and I feel DeGale struggled a lot more against Jack than George did.

‘’There’s also young guys like Ramirez, who’s a very tough fighter, and Benavidez, who are hungry for the belts, but I would say at the moment it’s between George and DeGale for the number one spot, and a rematch will prove who is the best super middleweight out there.

‘’People tried to write George off after the Froch fight, but he’s regained himself. He’s back in the gym, and he’s back in love with boxing. You can see that in his performances. If he wins this World title, I feel he’s got the beating of James DeGale. He knows him from the amateurs, and that’s a fight we would be very confident of winning.’’

Groves’ clash with Chudinov is part of a huge night of action in Sheffield as Kell Brook defends his IBF World Welterweight title against unbeaten mandatory challenger Errol Spence.

Tickets for the night are still on general sale priced as follows: tiered seating at £40, £60 and £80 and pitch seats at £80, £100, £150 and £200 –VIP Packages are sold out.

Tickets are on sale from Sheffield United’s Box Office at http://www.sufc.co.uk/tickets/, on 0114 253 7200 and in person from the box office at Bramall Lane – all tickets purchased from Sheffield United are subject to a 10 per cent booking fee.

George Groves (25-3, 18 KOs) believes the time is right for him to be crowned World Champion when he meets Fedor Chudinov (14-1, 10 KOs) on Saturday, May 27 at Bramall Lane in Sheffield, live on Sky Sports Box Office.

The Hammersmith man will be challenging for the vacant WBA World Super Middleweight strap in his fourth World title attempt following two epic clashes with domestic rival Carl Froch and a split decision loss to Badou Jack.

Since linking up with coach Shane McGuigan, the 29 year-old has secured four successive victories to pave the way for his latest World title tilt, and the ‘Saint’ says now he is ready to realise his ultimate ambition and capture the WBA belt.

‘’My training has gone well and I feel really sharp,’’ said Groves. ‘’I don’t feel rushed or like I’ve had to sacrifice anything, and come Saturday night, I’ll be firing on all cylinders and ready to do some damage.

‘’Chudinov is a good opponent. The belt is vacant because he lost his last one but he was a bit unlucky in that fight. There are still some unknowns about him. We haven’t seen how far he can be pushed, but I know I’m capable of beating him.

‘’I believe this is the best opportunity for me to achieve my dream and become World Champion. Time is on my side. I had a good year last year, and I’m in a good place. I’ve put in the work, and now, I need to make this count.

‘’Everything that’s happened in the past has made me more determined. I know the pressure is on, and I can’t afford to make any more mistakes. This might be my best chance to win a World title, but it could also be my last.

‘’It’s up to me to deliver. I want to become World Champion and I want to be involved in some huge fights. I know I’m good enough, and with Shane in my corner, I’m back to my best, and ready to make it happen.’’

Groves’ clash with Chudinov is part of a huge night of action in Sheffield as Kell Brook defends his IBF World Welterweight title against mandatory challenger Errol Spence.

Tickets for the night are still on general sale priced as follows: tiered seating at £40, £60 and £80 and pitch seats at £80, £100, £150 and £200 –VIP Packages are sold out.

Tickets are on sale from Sheffield United’s Box Office at http://www.sufc.co.uk/tickets/, on 0114 253 7200 and in person from the box office at Bramall Lane – all tickets purchased from Sheffield United are subject to a 10 per cent booking fee.

George Groves will challenge Fedor Chudinov for the vacant WBA World Super-Middleweight title at Bramall Lane in Sheffield on May 27, live on Sky Sports Box Office as chief support for the IBF World Welterweight title clash between Kell Brook and Errol Spence.

Groves is gunning to land a World strap in his fourth attempt following two epic clashes with Carl Froch in England and a split decision loss to Badou Jack in Las Vegas.

Chudinov landed the WBA belt in May 2015 with a win over Felix Sturm and the hard-hitting Russian is no stranger to Britain having beaten Frank Buglioni in a first defence in London four months later.

‘Saint’ George is confident that Chudinov will not get his hands on the title again in the Steel City, and with four wins on the bounce since teaming up with Shane McGuigan, the 29 year old believes he’ll finally be crowned a world ruler on May 27.

“It’s great to be back fighting on Sky Sports Box Office,” said Groves. ”I’m excited to be challenging for the World title on May 27 at Bramall Lane. Last year was a good year for me. I feel that the work I’ve been doing behind the scenes with Shane has really started to pay off, and I’m in a great position to capture the WBA title and push on from there.

“Fedor Chudinov is a good fighter. He proved that against Felix Sturm, but I honestly believe that I will have too much for him. It has always been my dream to become World Champion, and now it’s my time and nothing will stand in my way.”

“We’re delighted to deliver George this World title fight on home soil and it’s great to be working with Sky and Matchroom Boxing on what will be a terrific double header with two World title fights at the highest level,” said Nisse Sauerland.

“George will face a tough test from Fedor Chudinov, who has proved dangerous away from home with victories over Felix Sturm and Frank Buglioni, but George is an elite level fighter who is only just reaching his prime, and we’re confident on May 27, he will realise his dream, and Britain will have a new World Champion.”

“I’m delighted to add another big World title fight to this show on May 27,” said Eddie Hearn. “Since the Badou Jack defeat, George has worked his way back into position and is now on the verge of finally capturing that World title. It’s a very hard fight against a very tough Chudinov and I expect it to be an all action affair. There will be 26,000 packed into Bramall Lane on May 27 and British fight fans can expect another epic night.”
Tickets for the night are still on general sale priced as follows: tiered seating at £40, £60 and £80 and pitch seats at £80, £100, £150 and £200 –VIP Packages are sold out.

Tickets are on sale from Sheffield United’s Box Office at http://www.sufc.co.uk/tickets/, on 0114 253 7200 and in person from the box office at Bramall Lane – all tickets purchased from Sheffield United are subject to a 10 per cent booking fee.

The WBA has ordered Fedor Chudinov to fight George Groves for the vacant Super Middleweight title, accrding to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

Super Middleweight Eduard Gutknecht was moved to a hospital in Germany after falling into a coma following his loss to George Groves on November 18 in London, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

“The entire Wiking-Boxteam fights and hopes for Eddy,” the company said in a statement on Saturday. “The condition of Eddy is currently stable. He is in a coma but is no longer in the acute ICU. His family is always at his side in the hospital. Eddy is currently being moved to Germany. Our thoughts are with him and wish him a full recovery.”

Wiking-Boxteam said doctors said Gutknecht’s “organs are working normally.”

“We have to be patient. Forecasts and assumptions can go in all directions,” the statement said. “It is very difficult for the family with this situation. The entire Wiking-Boxteam suffers with Eddy and is affected. But we also know that we are talking about boxing and like all high-performance sports, in addition to the joy of competition and the ceremony at the victory, unfortunately, always the risk of injury is present.

“Eddy has his dream of boxing against George Groves and again to reach for the world champion crown. Now he has to wake up [and have] a full recovery, so he can be there for his family again. Eddy you can do it! Eddy you’re strong!”

“He’s a husband and a father and the money raised will go towards helping his family be with him at this difficult time,” Groves said in a statement.

Former world title challenger George Groves will take on Eduard Gutknecht on November 18th in London, according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

“I’m extremely happy to announce this fight and am excited to be headlining on Channel 5,” Groves said. “I have been fortunate in my boxing career so far to experience almost everything the sport has to offer but to be fighting live on terrestrial TV is something that has always been very high up on my bucket list.

“It goes without saying that I am now determined to challenge again, and this time succeed, in becoming a world champion. I feel that working alongside Cyclone Promotions for this fight, as well as with my promoters Team Sauerland, with the opportunity to be back headlining in front of a home crowd close to West London, is the perfect move for me — especially with the chance to showcase myself to a larger audience.”

Said Shane McGuigan, Groves’ trainer: “This is a must-win fight for George. We’ve worked extremely hard this year, and Nov. 18 is a chance for George to make another important step towards becoming a world champion. Eduard Gutknecht is a proven operator who we cannot afford to take lightly. Eddy has a high-punch output and is extremely durable, so we are preparing for 12 hard rounds.”

Gutknecht (30-4-1, 13 KOs), a 34-year-old Kazakhstan native living in Germany, lost a decision to Robert Stieglitz in a 2010 world title bout and another decision to Juergen Braehmer in a world title fight in March. He bounced back from that loss with a third-round knockout win against Artem Redko on June 18.

He said he will be fighting Groves in his hometown.

“I will come to London on Nov. 18 full of energy and conquer,” he said. “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.”

Martin Murray says George Groves got his name from losing twice to Carl Froch – and believes he’ll look to shift the blame when he beats him in their clash for the WBA International Super-Middleweight title at The O2 on Saturday June 25, live on Sky Sports Box Office.

Murray believes Groves is too focused on being the ‘a-side’ of their battle, rather than focusing on the fight itself, as the Brit rivals look to move into line for a crack at the World title in the second half of the year.

The St Helens star has fought the best of the best over the last five years in World title fights, meeting Gennady Golovkin, Sergio Martinez and Felix Sturm in his Middleweight World title battles and tackling Arthur Abraham at 168lbs for the WBO World Super-Middleweight crown.

Groves holds three losses in World title scraps – twice at the hands of Carl Froch and most recently against Badou Jack in Las Vegas for the WBC title – and in their ‘The Gloves Are Off’ head-to-head on Sky Sports 1 at 10.30pm tonight, Murray says his resume at elite level outshines Groves’ and that the Hammersmith man passes the buck when he loses.

“I’ve been in bigger fights than him all over the world against better opposition,” said Murray. “The fact that his name comes first means nothing to me – I’m a 33 year old grown man, how’s that going to bother me?

“He got his name by losing twice to Carl Froch and that’s how he’s the a-side. If I’m not established enough as a World class fighter as it stands now, I’m going to get it when I beat George, even though I’ve been in the bigger and tougher fights than him, that’s the way it is. He thinks that the 80,000 tickets at Wembley were down to him, nothing to do with Carl.

“I don’t think he should’ve left Adam Booth. He finds it easy to pass the blame. He blamed the referee after the first Froch fight, he blamed a ‘punch from the gods’ for the second fight and blamed Paddy Fitzpatrick for the Jack loss.

“After Badou Jack I heard he was talking about retiring. He’s come back and had two fights where he’s been firing at sitting ducks where there’s been nothing coming back at him, so he’s got his confidence back now, and that makes now he thinks that this is an easy fight; but it’s not, and when it gets tough he will crumble. I want him to keep thinking that it’s easy, because he’ll find out next Saturday how wrong he is and I can’t wait to prove it.”

Murray and Groves clash on a huge night of boxing at The O2, as Anthony Joshua MBE defends his IBF World Heavyweight title against unbeaten American Dominic Breazeale.

Chris Eubank Jr defends his British Middleweight title against Welshman Tom Doran, John Wayne Hibbert clashes with Andrea Scarpa for the vacant WBC Silver Super-Lightweight title, Brixton Heavyweight Dillian Whyte returns to the fray, unbeaten Birmingham star Kal Yafai is in action, Olympic bronze medal man Anthony Ogogo continues his comeback from injury, Conor Benn fights for the third time in the paid ranks and there’s a debut for Team GB star Felix Cash.

Martin Murray has warned George Groves he’s going to drag him into deep waters and make him crumble when they face-off in an eliminator for the WBA World Super-Middleweight title at The O2 on June 25, live on Sky Sports Box Office.

Murray and Groves meet in a huge domestic crossroads clash that puts the winner in line for a crack to land another World title shot, and for the St Helens ace, it’s the all-British showdown that he’s craved throughout his career.

Murray believes his stamina and work-rate will prove to be the difference in the bout against the Londoner and says he’ll force ‘Saint’ George to crumble late in the fight.

“I train for fights to go all the way and take my opponents into deep waters,” said Murray. “I’ve shown that I have got a good engine and can sustain a good work rate over 12 rounds. George has stamina issues, that’s well known, the fight favours me late on with him fading and my high work rate over 12 rounds, but it favours him early with his power and I know that, and it makes for an exciting fight.

“I have one of the best defences in world boxing, I’ve been in with better fighters than George who have not been able to get rid of me and I am that confident in this fight that the only way he can beat me is if I lose concentration and get caught with something stupid early.

“He was clinically beaten by Carl Froch and those defeats took a lot out of him. He hasn’t had a fight that hard since and on June 25 he’s going to be in a real fight. When it gets hard for him, psychologically it’s going to be tough. I will break him and he will crumble.”

Murray and Groves clash on a huge night of boxing at The O2, as Anthony Joshua MBE defends his IBF World Heavyweight title against unbeaten American Dominic Breazeale.

Chris Eubank Jr defends his British Middleweight title against Welshman Tom Doran, John Wayne Hibbert clashes with Andrea Scarpa for the vacant WBC Silver Super-Lightweight title, Brixton Heavyweight Dillian Whyte returns to the fray, Conor Benn is in action for the third time in the paid ranks and there’s a debut for Team GB star Felix Cash.

Anthony Joshua MBE will make the first defence of his IBF World Heavyweight title against unbeaten American Dominic ‘Trouble’ Breazeale at The O2 in London on June 25.

Joshua ripped took both the belt and unbeaten record of American Charles Martin at the same venue on April 9, and he’ll be looking to take another ‘0’ in his maiden defence.

Breazeale brings a formidable 17-0 record to the UK with 15 wins inside the distance and enters the clash on the back of forcing Amir Mansour to retire after five rounds of their clash in January. The Californian is no stranger to London having represented USA in the 2012 Olympic Games, where Joshua won gold.

“I can’t tell you how excited I am to fight again, especially at The O2 which I have made my fortress,” said Joshua. “My coaches have watched Breazeale for a long time and they knew he was going to be a player in the division and now we get the chance to go war on June 25. It’s sure to be explosive, both of us like to let our hands go and score knockouts, we are both undefeated and both have Olympic pedigree.

“I am looking to get passed Breazeale in style and continue moving towards the unification fight everybody is waiting for. I’m looking forward to being part of a stacked night of boxing and defending my title in style.”

A huge undercard is being pieced together by promoter Eddie Hearn, and the first fight announced is a mouth-watering Super-Middleweights George Groves and Martin Murray in an eliminator bout for the WBA crown.

Both men are hunting a World title shot in the second half of the year, a fourth in the division for Groves and a first at 168lbs for Murray, who boxed three times for a World crown at Middleweight.

“This is a fight I’ve wanted for a while and I’m delighted it’s made,” said Murray. “I’ve had some huge profile fights all over the world in Golovkin, Martinez and Abraham but never had the big one in the UK. This is a fight that British fight fans can really get their teeth into and I’m looking forward to getting the win and moving on to challenging for the World title later in the year.”

“I’m very excited to be defending my WBA international belt against Martin Murray back at the O2,” said Groves. “I’ve had two great performances this year, both in London and the latest one back at The O2. It’s always a happy hunting ground for me.

”Martin is the perfect fight for me at this stage. He’s a seasoned campaigner, who’s boxed at the highest level for quite some time. He is a world level opponent and I’ll have to be fully focused and prepared to beat him.

”A win against Murray on the biggest stage, will open a lot of doors and bring me a step closer to achieving my goal of becoming world champion. I’m fully expecting it to be a war, I can’t wait.”

Promoter Eddie Hearn added: “June 25 is going to be a huge night from start to finish. It’s great that Britain’s newest super star is staying active, many would have still been celebrating but its back to business for AJ. The fight with Breazeale is going to be explosive- he is 6″7 and is one of the few whose KO ratio is up there with Anthony’s. He has come through the similar elite amateur set up and has worked his way into this shot and is ready to go.

“We are looking to put on one of our strongest cards yet at The O2, topped by the huge domestic clash between George Groves and Martin Murray which is set to be a wonderful clash. Watch this space for some more big fights added soon.”

Tickets go on sale today (April 25) at 10am to Matchroom Fight Pass members from the Fight Pass area at www.matchroomboxing.com and O2 Priority members at www.theO2.co.uk. Tuesday April 26 at 10am sees the venue and AXS pre-sale before tickets go on general sale at 10am on Wednesday April 27.

Tickets priced between £40 to £500 will be available from www.theO2.co.uk and on 0844 856 0202. VIP tickets are £1,000 and available exclusively from Matchroom Boxing www.matchroomboxing.com.

Face value tickets for June 25 will also be available from http://www.stubhub.co.uk/matchroom-boxing-tickets/ from 10am on April 27. StubHub is the official ticket partner and marketplace of Matchroom Boxing and Anthony Joshua.

David Brophy says he will punish George Groves if he looks past their fight at The O2 on Saturday night, live on Sky Sports Box Office.

The unbeaten Scotsman lands a golden chance to gatecrash the lucrative and talent-stacked Super-Middleweight scene with a meeting with the Londoner for the vacant WBA International title.

Groves is plotting an assault on a fourth World title shot having been edged out by WBC king Badou Jack in Las Vegas in September, but the unbeaten Caldercruix man believes he has the tools to capitalise on his shot if ‘Saint’ George is looking past him.

“I love being the underdog,” said Brophy. “George is a good fighter and I know that, but I am more than prepared for this step up and I will give it everything I have got. I feel really confident and I would have taken the fight if I wasn’t. I’m not here to make up numbers and that’s the first mistake that anybody will make. I’m coming to London to do a land a big win.

“I expect George to be fast and to try and do a job on me. I feel as if he is going to have a big fight in the summer, and whatever that is I think they will be treating me as a stepping stone and that is even better for me because I don’t mind going into somebody’s back garden either.

“I will give him more than he expects, I know that. Because I haven’t been in the limelight, and haven’t looked for it – I haven’t talked myself into big fights – he hasn’t heard of me, and he will have a shook tonight. He will expect me to be a walkover but I won’t be that.

“My preparations couldn’t have been better; I have been sparring with Callum Smith before his fight on Saturday and had been before the call for this came. It is the best preparation I could have got; Callum is a special, special fighter so to be sparring with him has been perfect for me.”

Brophy clash with Groves is part of a huge night of action in London topped by Joshua’s first World title fight, as Lee Selby defends his IBF World Featherweight title against Eric Hunter and Jamie McDonnell defends his WBA Bantamweight strap against Fernando Vargas.

There’s a key Middleweight battle between former World title challengers Matthew Macklin and Brian Rose, Ohara Davies faces Andy Keates for the vacant English Lightweight title and Nigel Benn’s son Conor makes his professional debut.

Callum Smith has told George Groves to go and earn a World title shot as he prepares to meet European champion Hadillah Mohoumadi in a final eliminator for the at the Echo Arena in Liverpool on Saturday night, live on Sky Sports.

Smith is one step from landing a shot at the big one, having seen off Rocky Fielding in spectacular style in November to pick up the Silver in another eliminator bout, the unbeaten 25 year old has ticked every box on his way to the final hurdle this weekend.

Groves told SkySports.com that he believes the pair should meet this summer should Smith have to wait for his shot at champion Badou Jack, who handed one of Groves’ three World title defeats to the Londoner in September, but Smith has told ‘Saint’ George he’ll take him on with a belt around his waist and on his terms.

“If I had a World title and he keeps winning I’m sure there will always be a demand for the Groves fight,” said Smith. “We are both British and regardless of whether his best days are behind him or not, he is still a big night. There will always be the demand for it as long as we both keep winning and I think it will happen.

“For the time being I have got tonight and then hopefully a World title shot, so it doesn’t really come into my plans just yet, but I wouldn’t rule it out next year or in the future.

“I think he believes that because he is George Groves he deserves a shot, although he has had three and lost. He thinks he should just walk straight into another one and if he loses that, thinks he deserves another one again, because of his name. He came back and beat an average fighter and he thinks that should earn him a final eliminator or a shot at the title.

“In my eyes, I think he should go away and earn his way back like I have. I have won an eliminator, I’m fighting a final eliminator, and I will have earnt my shot the right way. I think he thinks because he’s been there and boxed for it before, it should guarantee him another shot but boxing doesn’t work like that.”

Smith’s clash with Mohoumadi is part of a huge night of action as Rocky Fielding aims to bounce back from his loss to Smith with a tough fight against Rebrasse.

There’s a pair of tasty rematches on the bill as Scotty Cardle and Sean ‘Masher’ Dodd clash again for Cardle’s British Lightweight title, while Luke Keeler looks for revenge against Tom Doran with the WBC International Middleweight title up for grabs.

Two-time World Super-Middleweight title challenger Paul Smith begins his hunt for a third title tilt, there’s action for unbeaten quartet Tom Farrell, Reece Bellotti, Ryan Mulcahy and Commonwealth Games gold medallist Scott Fitzgerald while Gerard Carroll makes his professional debut.

Tickets go on sale now for April 2 from the Echo Arena at www.echoarena.com and on 0844 8000 400 – with priced at £40, £60, £80 and £100. VIP tickets priced at £200 are available exclusively from Matchroom Boxing at www.matchroomboxing.com and on 01277 359900.

Tickets for April 2 are available from http://www.stubhub.co.uk/matchroom-boxing-tickets/ – StubHub is the official ticket partner and marketplace of Matchroom Boxing and Anthony Joshua MBE.

LONDON (21 MARCH) British middleweight champion Nick ‘Bang Bang’ Blackwell has paid tribute to the skills of former British, Commonwealth and European super-middleweight champion ‘Saint’ George Groves following a number of sparring sessions in his company and says he’s now more confident than ever of defeating his next opponent, Chris Eubank Jr., on March 26.

Blackwell and Eubank Jr. collide at the SSE Arena, Wembley this weekend, live on Channel 5, and the champion from Trowbridge has been using time spent in the ring with Groves to sharpen his tools and get him well-prepared for the task at hand.

“It has been really good,” said Blackwell. “George is big, strong, very fast and he hits hard. He’s also a really nice lad. I appreciate him letting me go to his gym and spar.

“I learnt a lot from George and got some decent rounds in. I didn’t feel 110% in all of the spars we had, but it was nice to know that George still had some nice things to say about me.

“I’ve had good sparring at my gym but sometimes you have to take yourself out of your comfort zone and get in with people who are world-class and have competed at a higher level. George Groves is world-class. He has boxed world-class fighters and he has been in some massive events. He has been there and done it. Eubank Jr. hasn’t. He might like to pretend he has, but he really hasn’t.”

Though the respective styles of Groves and Eubank Jr. are anything but similar, Blackwell is nevertheless encouraged by the work he was able to produce while in the ring with a former world title challenger.

“Mentally, it’s great,” he said. “You feel good going into a fight like this knowing you’ve sparred countless rounds with a world-class guy from a weight class above.

“George’s jab is phenomenal. It’s probably the best jab I’ve ever come across. When you take one of his jabs, it’s like being hit by a right hand. It’s very sharp and he’s very strong.

“Eubank Jr. doesn’t really use a jab that much, and he’s certainly not going to hit as hard as Groves. I’m in a great place. I’m ready.”

Groves, it seems, is also a believer. Last week he said, “I’ve always been impressed by Blackwell when watching him fight. He’s a fighter who doesn’t seem afraid of anything; a lot of fighters say they’ll fight anyone, but he really means it. He loves a challenge.

“He boxed on one of my undercards against Billy Joe Saunders, pushed him really close, and I’ve kept an eye on him ever since. But it was nice to finally do some sparring with him because I’d heard a lot about his sparring sessions over the years – he’s got quite the reputation.

“Obviously he’s a fit lad with a great work-rate. He throws loads of punches. And, over the course of three sparring sessions, he showed he was a very good fighter. He punches well inside, he finds angles that don’t seem to be there, and he is happy to put it on you from the word ‘go’. He’s a real physical presence in the ring.”

*** Tickets for the British middleweight title blockbuster between Nick ‘Bang Bang’ Blackwell and Chris Eubank Jr. are priced at £35, £50, £75, £175, £200 and £250 for ringside and can be purchased online at ssearena.co.uk and axs.com or by phoning the SSE Arena, Wembley Box Office on 0844 815 0815 ***

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George Groves will face David Brophy in a Super-Middleweight battle of Britain at The O2 in London on April 9, live on Sky Sports Box Office.

Three-time World title challenger Groves meets the Scotsman over 12 rounds on the undercard of Anthony Joshua MBE’s World Heavyweight title clash with Charles Martin, as the Londoner aims to stay on track for a fourth shot at World honours.

Groves returned to the ring in style in January, stopping Andrea Di Luisa inside five rounds at the Copper Box Arena in east London in his first fight with new trainer Shane McGuigan, and ‘Saint’ George’s promoters Sauerland are in talks with Eddie Hearn for a summer showdown with St. Helens’ Martin Murray, but must get past the Scotsman first.

“It’s nice to be in a domestic dust-up!” said Groves. “David is an undefeated fighter so I’m sure he will be coming with a lot of confidence. It’s great to be back on Sky Sports and part of a great Box Office line-up. I’m looking forward to it.

“I had a good performance last time out against Di Luisa and I will be using that momentum going in this fight. Hopefully I’ll get a similar result and we can move on to the bigger fights in the summer.

“The work with Shane is going well. I think we will see even more improvements. The sparring has been better, the technical sessions have been better. I think that will come out more and more in this next fight.

“I’m sure it won’t be long until back in the World title mix. There’s plenty of big fights out there for me, and I’m willing to fight anyone, so we will see what routes open for me.”

Groves’ promoter Kalle Sauerland said: “George has never shied away from a challenge, and on April 9, he’s back in action against a young undefeated prospect. This will be another good test for George and a chance for him to showcase more of the improvements he has made since teaming up with Shane McGuigan. It’s an exciting time for the ‘Saint’ with a lot of big fights on the horizon.”

Unbeaten Brophy – 16-0 – will have other ideas though and the Caldercruix talent can gate-crash the upper-reaches of the 167lbs division if he can land a career-best win in Greenwich.

“This is a massive opportunity for me,” said Brophy. “I have done my apprenticeship and I have waited patiently for a chance, so this is a great chance for me to show what I can do on an outstanding show.

“I said yes to the fight straightaway. I didn’t even know how many rounds it was, or anything about the money, I just said yes. I haven’t been in the limelight, you never really are in Scotland, so opportunities don’t come too often and you miss 100 per cent of the opportunities you don’t take.

“I don’t mind being the underdog. I know people will say I am the underdog straight away and George is a good fighter and I know that. But I am more than prepared for this step up and I will give it everything I have got. I feel really confident and I would have taken the fight if I wasn’t. I’m not here to make up numbers and that’s the first mistake that anybody will make. I’m there to do a job.

“I expect George to be fast and to try and do a job on me. I feel as if he is going to have a big fight in the summer, and whatever that is I think they will be treating me as a stepping stone and that is even better for me because I don’t mind being the underdog and I don’t mind going into somebody’s back garden either.”

Groves’ clash with Brophy is part of a huge night of action in London topped by Joshua’s first World title fight, as Lee Selby defends his IBF World Featherweight title against Eric Hunter, while there’s a key Middleweight battle between former World title challengers Matthew Macklin and Brian Rose, plus more fights to be confirmed soon.

LONDON (16 MARCH) Super-middleweight star ‘Saint’ George Groves has revealed his admiration for British middleweight champion Nick Blackwell and predicted an explosive, back-and-forth encounter when ‘Bang Bang’ meets Chris Eubank Jr. on March 26 at The SSE Arena, Wembley, live on Channel 5.

Groves and Blackwell have sparred many rounds together in the last three weeks and the world-class super-middleweight came away from those sessions with nothing but the utmost respect for the warrior from Trowbridge.

“I’ve always been impressed by Blackwell when watching him fight,” Groves said. “He’s a fighter who doesn’t seem afraid of anything; a lot of fighters say they’ll fight anyone, but he really means it. He loves a challenge.

“He boxed on one of my undercards against Billy Joe Saunders, pushed him really close, and I’ve kept an eye on him ever since. But it was nice to finally do some sparring with him because I’d heard a lot about his sparring sessions over the years – he’s got quite the reputation.

“Obviously he’s a fit lad with a great work-rate. He throws loads of punches. And, over the course of three sparring sessions, he showed he was a very good fighter. He punches well inside, he finds angles that don’t seem to be there, and he is happy to put it on you from the word ‘go’. He’s a real physical presence in the ring.”

In addition to rounds spent in the company of Blackwell, 27-year-old Groves has also sparred many times with Eubank Jr., which puts him in an ideal position to analyse their highly-anticipated March 26 showdown.

“Eubank Jr. hadn’t had many pro fights when we sparred, so he’s probably a lot better now than he was back then, but he always gave me great work,” said Groves. “He has a great engine, throws punches in bunches and he’s physically and mentally very tough. He takes some breaking. He has sparred everyone, he has sparred bigger guys and he always gives a good account of himself.

“This fight between Blackwell and Eubank Jr. can only be a great fight. It’s fascinating and it’s hard to call.

“You say before every fight that you want to stamp your authority on the fight and go from there, but there could be some real swings and momentum changes throughout the twelve rounds these two share. I don’t see a scenario where one guy gets out in front and then just stays there and dominates. I think both will have their moments.

“They’ve both got enough power to hurt each other and they both possess a work-rate that can break hearts. They’re very fit and athletic lads. It should be an all-action affair for as long as it lasts.”

*** Tickets for the British middleweight title blockbuster between Nick ‘Bang Bang’ Blackwell and Chris Eubank Jr. are priced at £35, £50, £75, £175, £200 and £250 for ringside and can be purchased online at ssearena.co.uk and axs.com or by phoning the SSE Arena, Wembley Box Office on 0844 815 0815 ***

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George Groves says he’s ready to meet his domestic rivals at Super-Middleweight as he returns to action at the Copper Box Arena in London’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, live on Sky Sports – if the clashes lead to World title fights.

Groves faces Andrea di Luisa in east London in his first fight since his slender loss against Badou Jack in Las Vegas in September, and the three-time World title challenger accepts that it’s going to take a few fights to get back to the level he wants to operate at.

The Super-Middleweight division remains as vibrant as ever, and English fighters are at the forefront. Groves’ old foe James DeGale MBE holds the IBF crown, while Jack could soon come up against Liverpool star Callum Smith after his April clash with European champion Hadillah Mohoumadi was sanctioned as a final eliminator. Add St Helens’ Martin Murray into the mix, and the Brit pack are right in the mix for the major honours, and Groves believes he can emerge as the cream of the crop – but is in no rush to gain another win over DeGale.

“I’ll fight anyone that is put in front of me,” said Groves. “Right now, it’s January, it’s my first fight since the Jack fight and it’s Andrea di Luisa. He’s boxed at a high level and has wins and losses at that level, he’s here to present problems and he has a style that if you are not switched on he will take advantage of your mistakes. I believe he’ll ty and set traps for me but at the same time I think he’ll give me openings and I will take them and get a good knockout win to kick-of 2016 in style.

“I could’ve come back and had a fight down the bottom of an undercard and knocked out some nobody inside two or three rounds, but I haven’t done that. I’m topping the bill live on Sky Sports against an opponent that is going to be hungry, he’s live and he’s here to ask serious questions. Di Luisa is a good fighter and the perfect fight for me to get myself back into the mix. I want to get two or three fights before the summer and then we can look at where we are at ranking-wise and see what opportunities are open to me.

“I’ve got nothing but good will to James DeGale. He’s had his own tough times, but right now he’s riding high. A lot of people have said his last fight with Lucian Bute was closer than the six rounds he was given it by, but I didn’t see it. As long as he’s still winning, good luck to him. My time will come and I am not worried about him, I just have to concentrate on myself, get the win this weekend to kick 2016 off in style.

“I should be in contention for another World title in the summer because I have the profile and the performances to match. If James is still World champion then maybe our paths will cross, but I am just focused on getting myself into range of a World title shot and that’s what I want.”

Groves’ clash with Di Luisa headlines a huge night of action in London as John Wayne Hibbert defends his Commonwealth and WBC International Super Lightweight titles against Tommy Martin.

John Ryder meets the ‘Brit Basher’ Sergey Khomitsky for the vacant WBA International Middleweight title while his gym-mate Martin J. Ward defends his WBC International Super-Featherweight strap against Italian Mario Pisanti.

Former football star Leon McKenzie continues his charge towards titles in the ring in a final eliminator for the English Super-Middleweight title against Kelvin Young and Brentwood’s Kris Agyei-Dua defends his Southern Area Super-Welterweight title against Chadwell Heath’s Ben Hall.

There’s a host of young talents on the bill with Watford Featherweight Reece Bellotti tasting eight-round action for the first time in the paid ranks, action for Brixton’s Lightweight banger Ohara Davies, Bermondsey Welterweight Ted Cheeseman, Crystal Palace Super-Middleweight Craig Richards, West Ham Super-Bantamweight Lucien Reid, Wimbledon Welterweight Louis Adolphe, Rainham Light Heavyweight Charlie Duffield and Chelsea Light-Heavyweight Deion Jumah.

Tickets are on sale now priced £40, £60 and £100 available from www.seetickets.com by calling 08712307148 (Calls cost 10ppm plus your network access charge) £200 VIP tickets are available exclusively from www.matchroomboxing.com.

Andrea di Luisa says he’ll prove that George Groves is past his best when the Super-Middleweights clash at the Copper Box Arena in London’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park on January 30, live on Sky Sports.

The Italian is Groves’ first opposition since Badou Jack edged him out of their WBC World title clash in September in Las Vegas, with the Londoner looking to rebuild and land a fourth World title shot.

Di Luisa believes that the Jack fight – along with Groves’ two titanic tussles with Carl Froch MBE – has taken the best out of ‘Saint’ George – and he’ll stop the 27 year old’s latest charge for World honours at the first hurdle.

“I don’t believe George is the same fighter as he was before those fights against Froch and Jack,” said Di Luisa. “Only George knows how he feels. I can only comment from my point of view. On January 30 we will see how it goes – I do have a good punch.

“George is a good boxer, a good fighter. He’s had a few chances to be a World champion but hasn’t succeeded. He’s a good fighter and a hard puncher but I’m ready for anything. I’m going to London to win.”

Di Luisa’s clash with Groves as John Wayne Hibbert defends his Commonwealth and WBC International Super Lightweight titles against Tommy Martin.

John Ryder meets the ‘Brit Basher’ Sergey Khomitsky for the vacant WBA International Middleweight title while his gym-mate Martin J. Ward defends his WBC International Super-Featherweight strap against Italian Mario Pisanti.

Former football star Leon McKenzie continues his charge towards titles in the ring in a final eliminator for the English Super-Middleweight title against Kelvin Young and Brentwood’s Kris Agyei-Dua defends his Southern Area Super-Welterweight title against Chadwell Heath’s Ben Hall.

There’s a host of young talents on the bill with Watford Featherweight Reece Bellotti tasting eight-round action for the first time in the paid ranks, action for Brixton’s Lightweight banger Ohara Davies, Bermondsey Welterweight Ted Cheeseman, Crystal Palace Super-Middleweight Craig Richards, West Ham Super-Bantamweight Lucien Reid, Wimbledon Welterweight Louis Adolphe, Rainham Light Heavyweight Charlie Duffield and Chelsea Light Heavyweight Deion Jumah.

Tickets are on sale now priced £40, £60 and £100 available from www.seetickets.com by calling 08712307148 (Calls cost 10ppm plus your network access charge). £200 VIP tickets are available exclusively from www.matchroomboxing.com

George Groves believes a change in trainer to Shane McGuigan can be the missing piece in his World title jigsaw as he returns to action against Andrea di Luisa on Saturday night at the Copper Box Arena in London’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, live on Sky Sports.

Groves was edged out by Badou Jack in Las Vegas in September in their WBC Super-Middleweight clash, climbing off the canvas in the opening round to push the Swedish-American the distance. One judge gave the decision to Groves, but Jack held onto the title he took from Anthony Dirrell in April thanks to the other two cards.

That was Groves’ third World title fight after his unforgettable battles with Carl Froch MBE in Manchester and London, and the Londoner had Paddy Fitzpatrick in his corner for them all. Following the loss in Las Vegas, Groves has turned to McGuigan to guide his latest charge to a World title, and Groves says life with the trainer of Carl Frampton and old Adam Booth gym-mate David Haye has started well.

“A few things weren’t quite right in Las Vegas so I decided to part-company with Paddy and now I am with Shane,” said Groves. “We’d been working together for a few weeks behind closed doors before we made the announcement before Christmas and we clicked and gelled straight away. We’re on the same wavelength and I feel that with him I am producing great work in the gym, and now I am just looking forward to getting out there and showing the improvements and getting back to winning ways.

“I was talking to my promoter Nisse Sauerland en route to meeting Shane about my style of fighting and what went wrong in the last fight, how I could have improved. Before I could say those things, Shane said them to us, so I had the inkling straight away that we’re on the same page.

“I’m back punching hard which I am enjoying, although my knuckles aren’t. Everything else feels great though. He’s got a cracking stable of fighters with Carl Frampton in the gym preparing for his fight in Manchester with Scott Quigg in February. Barry McGuigan is in the gym all the time passing on his first-hand experience from his own involvement in massive World title fights, but Shane has his own presence and authority that I enjoy. He’s very knowledgeable for someone that’s my age, but he is also learning every day and I am enjoying every moment with him.”

Groves clash with Di Luisa is part of a huge night of action in east London as John Wayne Hibbert defends his Commonwealth and WBC International Super Lightweight titles against Tommy Martin.

John Ryder faces the ‘Brit Basher’ Sergey Khomitsky for the vacant WBA International Middleweight title and Martin J. Ward defends his WBC International Super-Featherweight strap against Italian Mario Pisanti.

Former football star Leon McKenzie continues his charge towards titles in the ring in a final eliminator for the English Super-Middleweight title against Kelvin Young and Brentwood’s Kris Agyei-Dua defends his Southern Area Super-Welterweight title against Chadwell Heath’s Ben Hall.

There’s a host of young talents on the bill with Watford Featherweight Reece Bellotti tasting eight-round action for the first time in the paid ranks, action for Brixton’s Lightweight banger Ohara Davies, Bermondsey Welterweight Ted Cheeseman, Crystal Palace Super-Middleweight Craig Richards, West Ham Super-Bantamweight Lucien Reid, Wimbledon Welterweight Louis Adolphe and Rainham Light Heavyweight Charlie Duffield.

Tickets are on sale now priced £40, £60 & £100 available from www.seetickets.com by calling 08712307148 (Calls cost 10ppm plus your network access charge). £200 VIP tickets are available exclusively from www.matchroomboxing.com

Deion Jumah (7-0, 3 KOs) makes his long-awaited British debut on the undercard of George Groves’ super middleweight showdown with Andrea Di Luisa at the Copper Box Arena in London’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park on January 30, live on Sky Sports

The former two-time ABA Champion, who faces an as yet unnamed opponent, has racked up seven straight victories since signing professional terms with Team Sauerland, all of which have been contested overseas, but now, the Adam Booth trained boxer is relishing a return to home soil as he aims to secure his eighth professional win.

‘’The last time I fought in London was the 2012 ABA final at York Hall when I beat Declan Fusco,’’ reflects the 26 year-old light heavyweight from Chelsea. ‘’So of course, I have good memories of fighting at home, and I’m looking forward to coming back and reminding everybody of what I can do.

‘’There is a tendency for people to forget about you when you’re fighting away from home so this will be a good opportunity for me to get my name back out there. I’ve gained some great experience fighting in Europe, and it has made me even more resilient and eager to succeed. My goals have always been the same and I still have the same belief. I know I’m going to reach my full potential and make it all the way to the top.

‘’I always train hard, I’m always fit and I’m always ready! On January 30, I’m looking forward to fighting in front of my friends and family, and claiming my first victory of 2016.’’

Jumah is the latest addition to a stacked Team Sauerland and Matchroom Boxing card at the Copper Box, topped by George Groves, who begins his assault on a fourth World title shot against Italian Andrea Di Luisa.

Tickets are on sale now priced £40, £60 & £100 available from www.seetickets.com or by calling 08712307148 (Calls cost 10ppm plus your network access charge). £200 VIP tickets are available exclusively from www.matchroomboxing.com.

British super middleweight ‘Saint’ George Groves (21-3, 16 KOs) has officially announced Shane McGuigan as his new trainer.

Groves, who narrowly lost a split decision against Badou Jack in Las Vegas for the WBC world championship belt in September, has made the announcement ahead of his return to the ring on January 30th when he will take on Italian Andrea Di Luisa (18-3, 14 KOS) at the Copper Box in London’s Olympic Park; live on Sky Sports.

McGuigan, 27, has fast developed a reputation as one of the most exciting coaches in the country; and Groves now joins his stable of boxers that already includes the likes of Carl Frampton and David Haye.

On making the announcement, Groves said, “I am happy and excited to be back and to be joining a new, exciting and dynamic team of young hungry fighters with a fantastic trainer.

”I’ve found the past few weeks working with Shane rejuvenating. I’m back punching hard, enjoying my boxing and am now eager to get back to winning ways.

”The loss earlier this year to Badou Jack was a close and frustrating one and I hope to avenge that defeat as soon as possible; starting on January 30th with a KO win.

”It’s a pleasure to be back headlining on Sky Sports and with the help of both my promoters Team Sauerland, as well as with Matchroom Sport, I am excited about our plans for 2016.

”I’m confident that now with the right coach I will reach the very top of the sport”.

Shane McGuigan said, “I am very pleased to be working with George; starting with his fight on January 30th at the Copper Box in London. George not only has the skill but more importantly the work ethic and dedication needed to become a World Champion; which is our ultimate goal. I am excited for the future working together”.

Groves’ promoter Kalle Sauerland added, “Shane has proven that he can not only form a World Champion but more importantly keep him there. This will be a ‘dream team’.”

Groves and McGuigan will both be attending a press conference at 12.00pm tomorrow (Thursday, December 17) at Trinity House in Tower Hill to discuss their new partnership and upcoming fight with Di Luisa on January 30 at the Copper Box.

George Groves will begin his assault on a fourth World title shot at the top of a stacked Matchroom Boxing and Team Sauerland card at the Copper Box in London on Saturday, January 30, live on Sky Sports.

The Hammersmith man lost out in a split decision to Badou Jack for the WBC Super Middleweight title in Las Vegas in September but has ambitions to land his dream World title in 2016.

‘’It’s great to be back,’’ said Groves. ‘’I’m looking forward to boxing in London again. This is a chance for me start the New Year on the front foot. I want to get as many fights as possible and start building momentum as I work my way back into World title contention.’’

John Wayne Hibbert defends his Commonwealth Super Lightweight title against WBA Continental champion Tommy Martin in a tasty looking chief support bout, with John Ryder also on the bill.

Hibbert climbed off the canvas to stop Dave Ryan in the tenth round of a barnstorming third encounter for the Commonwealth title at The O2 in September, while Martin stopped Michael Devine on the same bill to land the vacant WBA Continental strap.

Brentwood’s Kris Agyei-Dua defends his Southern Area Super Welterweight title against unbeaten Chadwell Heath man Ben Hall in an Essex derby while Wiltshire’s Kelvin Young faces unbeaten Croydon southpaw Leon McKenzie in an eliminator for the English Super Middleweight title.

Plus there’s action for undefeated stars Ohara Davies, Reece Bellotti, Ted Cheeseman, Lucien Reid and Craig Richards. Ticket and full card details will be announced shortly.

LAS VEGAS – Floyd Mayweather Jr. said it was his last dance. If it was, he also got the last laugh.

In what he promised was his farewell fight Saturday night, Mayweather mocked Andre Berto. Beat him. too, for most of 12-one-sided rounds for a unanimous decision that put him alongside Rocky Marciano in the historical ledger at 49-0.

Everything, including his body language, said he would not fight again. He hugged and kissed his father, Floyd Mayweather Sr., on the cheek before the start of the 12th and perhaps his final round.

After the 118-110, 117-110 and 120-108 scores were announced, he knelt at the center of the ring, pointed one of his green-gloved hands toward the ceiling and look up as if he were saying a goodbye prayer.

“My career is done,’’ Mayweather said.

After the ninth, he complained to his father about an injury to his left hand.

“It doesn’t matter whether I hurt my left hand or my right hand,’’ said Mayweather. who collected another $32 million guarantee in the sixth and final fight on his Showtime contract. “My career is over.’’

As definitive as his statement was in the wake of his victory over Berto, speculation will continue about whether he will pursue a 50th victory sometime in the spring, perhaps at a brand new Las Vegas arena scheduled to open next spring.

His decision to face Berto had been mocked the day it was announced. In the end, Mayweather managed to mock Berto, if not the mismatch, himself.

Sometimes, he moved robotically as if to mimic a tiring and clueless Berto. Sometimes, he moved as if had been hurt. He wasn’t. Mostly. He just made fun of Berto. At the strta of the 10th, Mayweather talked non-stop at Berto. Finally, referee Kenny Bayless called timeout and warned both.

“Just trash talk,’ said Mayweather, who hasn’t knocked anybody in eight years.

Berto was cheered for just about anything he attempted from the 13,395 in a crowd that began to fill a Grand Garden Arena that about 90 minutes before opening bell appeared to be nearly half empty.

In the early rounds, however, Berto must have felt like he was playing dodge-ball with a target always close enough to hit, yet always elusive enough to make him miss.

“He a great fighter,’’ said Berto, who didn’t call him greatest when as if he thought Mayweather was The Best Ever.
Berto will let history decide that one.

The rematch was supposed to settle the argument. It didn’t.

Instead, Orlando Salido and Roman Martinez have more to fight about after battling to a draw Saturday night in junior-lightweight bout on the Floyd Mayweather Jr .-Andre Berto card at the MGM Grand.

“I won this fight,’’ said Martinez (29-2-3, 17 KOs), a Puerto Rican who scored a unanimous decision over Salido in April

Salido (42-13-3, 29 KOs) was credited with a knockdown in the third. Martinez complained to no avail. Turns out, Martinez was right and referee Vic Drakulich wrong in ruling it a knockdown. Video replay showed that Salido stepped on Martinez’ foot, knocking him off balance and onto the canvas.

Later in the third, Martinez scored a legit knockdown, landing a big right that sent Salido back on his heels and onto his rear end. Salido was clearly hurt. But he was able to survive and then managed to drag the fight into the kind of bruising exchange he so often wins. He threw 1,037 punches. Martinez threw 691.

“I should have won,’’ Salido said. “That’s not fair.”

Anybody for a trilogy?

Badou Jack scored a first-round knockdown that proved to the key to a split-decision over George Groves in the first defense of his WBC super-middleweight bout.

Jonathan Oquendo of Puerto Rico and Johnny Gonzalez of Mexico opened the PPV part of the card in a super-featherweight bout that began with fireworks and then settled down into a battle of wits, survival and some blood. In the end, Oquendo (254, 16 KOs), prevailed, winning a 10-round majority decision after suffering a knockdown in the first round, knocking down Gonazlez (58-10, 49 KOs) in the second and sustaining a nasty cut on his legs ye;id in the sixth.

The Floyd Mayweather-Andre Berto show opened Saturday during the noon hour, or probably before Mayweather rolled out of bed.

In an empty MGM Grand Garden Arena, Atlanta junior-welterweight Trakwon Pettis didn’t waste any time in his pro debut. Pettis stopped Devante Seay (0-1) of Martinsville, Va., at 2:24 of the first round. He was done in time to catch a late lunch.

In the afternoon’s second matinee, London junior-welterweight Ashley Theopane (39-6-1, 11 KOs) outworked Steven Upsher (24-5-1, 6 KOs), winning a one-sided decision over the Philadelphia fighter who lost to Berto last year.

Then, Baltimore lightweight prospect Gervonta Davis (12-0, 11 KOs) took over with a fast and furious beating of Filipino Recky Delay (8-2, 5 KOs), who was down twice in the first and signaled to referee Russell Mora that he was done at 1:34 of the round.

In another afternoon beating, Romanian super-middleweight Ronald Gavril (13-1, 9 KOs) punished Scott Sigmon (25-7-1, 14 KOs) before the ringside physician ended it before the ninth.

A disciplined, patient Vanes Martirosyan waited as if he knew Ishe Smith would leap and lunge. Smith did. Not once, but twice. Martirosyan (36-2-1, 21 KOs), a middleweight from Glendale, Calif., capitalized both times, scoring knockdowns with well-timed counters late in the third round and again in the eighth for a majority decision over Smith (27-8, 12 KOs), a Mayweather-promoted fighter.

Dayton middleweight Chris Pearson (13-0, 10 KOs) rocked Canadian Janks Trotter (9-2-1. 9 KOs) repeatedly in the sixth and finally floored him in the seventh for a stoppage at 2:59 of the round.

In the last fight before the pay-per-view portion of the card, Uzbekistan junior-welterweight Sanjarbek Rakhmanov (2-0, 1 KO) rocked an overmatched, yet durable Farkhad Sharipov (4-5, 1 KO) of Kazakhstan repeatedly in scoring six-round unanimous decision.