Groves beats Cox to set up Ali fight with Eubank Jr
Stamford Bridge among one of the likely venues Body shot helps Londoner to retain his WBA crown
George Groves defeated fellow British fighter Jamie Cox at the SSE Arena in Wembley last night with a crumpling fourth round right hook body shot to retain his World Boxing Association super middleweight crown, but more significantly, to set up a genuine British superfight with Chris Eubank Jr in the semi-final of the World Boxing Super Series tournament for the Muhammad Ali Trophy.
The WBA 12st world title-holder was keen to make a huge impression in the competition after British rival Chris Eubank Jr knocked out Turkey’s Avni Yildirim in the third round last weekend in Germany. The victory for Groves has now set up a semi-final against Eubank, ringside last night, in January 2018, in a much-anticipated contest.
Groves, a world champion at the fourth attempt when he wrested this belt from Fedor Chudinov in Sheffield in May this year, has made hard work of more facile fights in the past, yet having promised that mentally and physi- cally he was in the shape of his life, easily weathered previously unbeaten Cox’s early onslaught.
It was lively from the start, with Groves’s heavier punches winning the first three rounds, the second period of the fight coinciding with trouble in the crowd at Wembley. In the opening stanza, Cox’s jab consistently fell short, Groves counters with his own left hands, and landing with a straight cross.
Working furiously, Cox had a better second round, throwing a serious of hooks, managing to push Groves into a corner, before the Hammersmith man fought back with heavy hands, looking to go to the body, clearly a strategy from the defending champion, the longer, more rangy of the pair.
Cox came tearing at Groves with the third bell, even reckless, but showing a toughness against the rival he once shared a room with when the two were on the England amateur boxing team together. But in the fourth, Groves finished the bout with aplomb, and decisively making a statement. A right hand ripped into Cox’s body, into the ribs, crumpling the Swindon man to the canvas. Referee Steve Gray began his count, and it was clear that Cox was in too much pain to find his feet, and was counted out.
Preening at ringside was Chris Eubank Jr, and Groves has sent a very clear message, though he was expected to deal handily against the 5-1 underdog. But Groves, now seemingly under trainer Shane McGuigan reaching the peak of his career at 29, will enjoy the build-up to the classic all-British showdown with Eubank early in 2018.
The bout was given an edge as Eubank Jr entered the ring after the contest to give boxing fans a taste of the enmity between the two men. Their styles will gel, and it ought to be a thriller. “I knew what he was about. I knew he’d ask me questions,” Groves said afterwards, acknowledging the fact that Cox had come in looking to give it his all, and go out on his shield.
“I came into this World Boxing Super Series as the No 1 seed, and I will go out as the winner,” Groves told The Sunday Telegraph, adding that his only regret is that not all the world supermiddleweight champions were signed up for this tournament, including his arch-rival James DeGale, the IBF champion. There is talk of the blockbuster with Eubank taking place at Stamford Bridge, Groves having been a lifelong Chelsea supporter. “Any fight for me at Chelsea would be amazing” he said. “I’ve done Wembley Stadium and the MGM grand and a couple of other big venues. It would be great.”