Groves is lining up title shot

GEORGE GROVES hopes the WBA will give him a shot at their super-middleweight title next year, writes TOM HOPKINSON.

The Londoner returns on Friday when he takes on Eduard Gutknecht at Wembley Arena in a WBAsanctioned clash for their International belt.

Groves hopes a win will put him in line for a shot at the main title, which was stripped from Felix Sturm last month.

He said: “The WBA super title is up for grabs and I want to make sure I’m in a position to fight for it. That’s Plan A and I’m hoping something will come off, maybe I could fight Fedor Chudinov for it.

“I don’t want to waste much time. I needed to consolidate my relationship with my trainer, Shane McGuigan, this year and get over the loss to Badou Jack.

“And ideally now I would win a world title belt before a big domestic fight against James DeGale or Callum Smith.

“But if I don’t get the WBA opportunity and Callum doesn’t get a WBC title fight, then that could be a fantastic fight for early next year.”

Groves’ old rival DeGale is set to meet Jack in January with the WBC and IBF super-middleweight belts on the line.

Groves added: “If DeGale gets through against Jack I would be prepared to fight him next summer. Those will probably happen next year, if they want them like I do.

“Working with Shane now I’ve found a trainer who understands what I do well. The stuff he’s doing with Carl Frampton makes sense to do with me as well.

“You want to push on because the guy next to you is doing well – and I want to do the same.”