Off Topic Boxing

Here's a nice article on the Usyk - Gassiev clash. Me thinks this will be something special.

http://www.boxingscene.com/gassiev-usyk-fight-year-expectations-jeddah--125145

 

Groves - Eubank this Saturday in Manchester.

George Groves. 13-8.
Chris Eubank Jr. 7-10.

Chris Eubank Jr. by KO TKO or Disqualification. 7-4.
Chris Eubank Jr. by Decision or Technical Decision. 11-4.

George Groves by KO TKO or Disqualification. 58-19.
George Groves by Decision or Technical Decision. 11-2.

Draw or Technical Draw. 25-1.

 

Should have been going but couldn't get it off work. I'm leaning towards Groves, I think his speed, power and experience will see him through. But I'm hoping for Eubank so he can finally step out of daddy's shadow.

 

I'm leaning a bit towards Eubank Smoke. He just appears a bit more savage to me.

 

The thing putting me off Eubank is the fact he normally gets to dictate and dominate against opponents which I don't think he'll be able to do against Groves and because he's relatively untested it'll be interesting to see how he adapts. Very interesting fight to me and would love to see a Smith/Eubank final

 

Pumped for this one, maybe more so than I was for even Canelo and GGG! Was very much in the Eubank Jr camp all along but starting to slightly doubt myself after watching a few previews there on YouTube! As I see it he’s the one with most improvement and is seriously starting to look like he can give anyone around plenty to handle. The things against him are he’s up against a bona fida top level campaigner whose only been beaten by pretty much elite boxers in Jack (close defeat) and Froch whose as capable as any British middleweight we’ve seen since Joe Calzaghe. Groves technically is a fair bit better overall (Eubanks not really too hot from distance) and for me the most telling thing in Groves favour is he’s got one of the best trainers around in Shane McGuigan so he’ll know exactly how to deal with Eubanks strengths and weaknesses. McGuigan is a bit of genius in setting his fighters up (the only time I’ve seen one of his go out and fight stupid was Frampton in his rematch with Santa Cruz and personally I’d put that down to Frampton trying to be too macho and chase the KO he said he’d get).

Eubanks energy levels are off the scale though and he’s so busy Groves might have bother staying with him if it goes really deep into the 12. My initial thought was a Eubank KO, this is really just me pondering the negatives of that! I’ll advise my final decision pre fight. Seriously think this will be a fireworks fight, often these big fights turn out lame but I think this will be a right war as the styles really look to mix and this could be epic

 

I agree with you beefy.
I'm leaning towards Eubank JR, like you say the top fighters that Groves has fought have put him away, I'd have him a the level below the top level. Problem being, we don't know if Eubank JR is at that top level, he's all potential. Only time he fought someone of real note, he lost, although he's undoubtedly improved since then.
Looking forward to this one!

 

Hughie Fury, now sometimes referred to in boxing forums as "Baby Hughie," has agreed to take a shot at Sam Sexton's British Heavyweight Title. The fight is set down for May 12 in Bolton. Not too many fight fans appear to like young Hughie.

Some of the quotes so far.

Illmatic94. Who v Who?
Shontae De'marc. Fitting seeing as how Hughie always carries two pillows into the ring (his fists)
pollywog. I like to watch baby Hughies fights in rewind. Then you at least see him coming forward!
Koba-Grozny. Mmmm. Yeah. The Mecca of boxing that is Bolton. They'll still be talking about this mega-event in three generations.

 

You've pretty muchsummed it up perfectly for me here beefy. Hope the fight lives up to expectations.

 

I think people's issues with Hughie is that he's not very exciting and though technically good he usually just does enough without been fancy to get the job done (until Parker). I like him think he's decent and thought he'd beat Parker but appears he's short of world level

 

It looks as though Groves and Eubank will split about three million pounds for their semi. The winner will go up against either Callum Smith or Jurgen Braehmer. The winner of the final will pocket 4,300,000 pounds while the loser will walk away with 2,200,000.

 

I know next to nothing about George Groves, for all I know he could be a complete ****. But in the clip below he appears to be a quiet sort of gent compared to Chris Eubank. After watching the vid, I can't help but be a bit put off by the offerings of Eubank. It's all a bit unnerving. The marked lack of respect didn't go down too well with me. I still think he'll win the fight, but if Groves dumps him on his cocky arse, I'll be the first to applaud.

 

How Eubank is being is exactly how Groves was in the build up to Carl Froch fights. Arrogant, gobby and showed no respect.

 

Thanks Smoke, this stuff is all new to me. I've just had another look at the Groves - Cox fight, and to be frank, I was a bit disappointed. Seriously, I don't think George is all that hot, he looks slow and ponderous. He does have power though, but I'm not sure he'll be able to land anywhere like the number bombs Eubank will plant on him. There's a chance Jr might not have a chin I suppose.

 

Groves is one of them who, the better the opponent, the better he performs. He would have viewed Cox as beneath him and just a stepping stone to better things. He knows the importance of this fight. With regards Eubanks chin, it's yet to be tested in a fight but if sparring rumours are to be believed he's inherited his father's chin. Although his dad did get knocked out when making the move to super middleweight so you never know. Really can't wait for this. I think the only fight that has been announced that I'm looking forward to as much as this is Frampton Vs Donaire but that's just because I love Nonito Donaire.

 

I think the psychology going on is so, so hard to read between the two combatants. Groves is being perceived (incorrectly in my view) by many to be losing the war of words and Eubanks verbal assaults are wearing him down. I read it totally different, I genuinely think he’s just got a calmness within him as knows/thinks he’s got Eubanks card marked. Of course the huge history between them in terms of sparring (supposedly in the region of 40-60 rounds) suggests both fighters know who holds the upper hand. Most say Junior bossed more rounds than he lost between them but he spars like he fights and apparently he’s battering his partners in the build up something serious! Groves on the other hand uses his sparring to try new things and learn as he clocks the mileage up, so very much unlike Jr he may not be as full throttle. Eubank give Froch hell in sparring too, but I know who I’d been picking should they have met then with the smaller gloves and no head guards on!

One of the interesting things I’ve read was Adam Booth whose trained both and seen most, if not all, their sparring together and he says only once was one of them seriously hurt, almost gone and that was Eubank from a Groves left hand...Another thing to consider was that as Groves was seeded he effectively ‘picked’ his route to the final so he picked to fight Eubank, would you do that if you felt you were second best to someone you’ve sparred so much???

Seriously hard to weigh up, as I’ve said, I’ve become a fully paid up Eubank Jr fan and do suspect I’ll still be backing him to KO Groves, I just think Groves is maybe scarred from the Froch fight and he looked bleeding awful against Cox in his last fight. Eubank has long been relentless but he’s now carrying more concussive power than he has done so he could wear Groves down late on. I wouldn’t be surprised to be proved wrong now however the closer we get.

I do think the history between them and their bravado/confidence were seeing is fascinating when you think how much they’ve sparred each other. Possibly a strange thing to say when we’re discussing two grown men try to wallop seven bells of ****e out of each other but in this fight the mentally stronger fighter will likely come out on top, and again, I think Eubank edges that department. Groves battle scars may appear if Eubank starts overworking him and getting joy up close.

 

Disappointing show from Eubank. As i suspected though he had no back up when he isn't able to dictate a fight. He looked nervous, clueless and out of his depth. Bubble burst unfortunately, he's fought two top boxers and been schooled both times. Groves kept his discipline and boxed really well. Hopefully young Smith comes through his semi next week and we get another all British world title.

 

Eubank found out there big time. Groves kept the distance and made Eubank look amateur, very easy night. Credit to Groves, brilliant performance, as he always said he was a level above, we thought maybe Eubanks ferocity and energy levels would be too much but he was miles away. Embarrassing at times, swinging like a drunk outside the nightclub at 3am in the morning. Another superb plan formulated by young Shane McGuigan and executed by a class act. Fair play.

 

Eubank should have taken that fight against GGG 18 months or so ago and earnt big money. Yes he would have been roughed up and brutally dispatched.

Now I have no idea where he is going to go after being outclassed tonight.

Full credit to the Saint on an excellent nights work!

 

A disappointing display from Eubank in all honesty, he didn't really look to have much of a game plan from the get go. He just allowed Groves to outbox him with the jab for the first 8-9 rounds. He then actually had a go at the end with mixed success, but by that time only a KO was going to be enough.

To have any chance Eubank needed to be getting into top gear and making it a war of attrition a lot earlier in the fight. Groves stamina has been called into question in the past, so why just allow the first few rounds to go by without him breaking sweat.

I think it's fair to say Groves proved he's the better boxer of the 2, but I do think Eubank does deserve some credit for the effort he put in at the end, making it a very entertaining last few rounds.

Although it took a while to get going, it did actually turn into a good dust up at the end.

Anyways Id agree that the bubble has probably burst now, if Eubank can get out boxed for the large majority of the fight by Groves, then he's probably unlikely to ever be at that elite level. Groves sets a high standard, but I think even he is probably short of the very top table.

Eubank could get an experienced proven trainer, and have one last go at things though, if he's that determined to succeed.