Reflecting on George Groves’ roller-coaster career as he calls it a day
Groves has so much to be proud of as he enters retirement, writes Elliot Worsell
MUCH like his left jab, arguably the finest British boxing has seen for years, the retirement of “Saint” George Groves was always going to be quick, sharp, clinical and to the point. Whereas some deliberate over the decision and then outstay their welcome, Groves, 30, has always been a man who has known his own mind, done things on his terms, and listened only to the voice in his head. Which is why, when he felt his time was up, the sound of a door slamming behind him was never going to be far behind.
He leaves us with plenty of memories. His time with David Haye and Adam Booth wasn’t mentioned in his retirement speech but, for better or worse, unquestionably influenced his early thinking, style, and business acumen. It was during these formative years he beat James Degale at London’s O2 Arena in a 2011 fight that saw him go against type, control his inner red head and cleverly outbox his old Dale Youth ABC rival over 12 rounds. It was a victory for ring smarts; a victory for good manners. It delivered Groves bragging rights for life.
More was to follow. There was some drama, notably a bitter fall-out with Booth and subsequent link-up with Paddy Fitzpatrick, and then one hell of a first world title fight against Carl Froch in 2013. Channelling negatives into a positive, Groves was content to stand alone that night, convinced he had Froch’s number, and delivered on his pre-fight promise to land two right hands – just two – in the opening round. The second one, the most decisive he would detonate all night, decked Froch heavily and threatened to turn the boxing world on its head.
That it didn’t says more about Carl Froch’s recuperative powers than George Groves’ inability to finish, but, in the end, a thrilling fight would be remembered not for that right hand but for a controversial stoppage in round nine, when Groves was halted prematurely by referee Howard Foster. The flashpoint led to widespread uproar. It also led to a rematch and the first ever boxing match at the new Wembley Stadium. That took place in May 2014, six months after Froch vs. Groves I, and concluded, thanks to a Froch right cross in round eight, far more emphatically than its predecessor.
The nature of the second Froch defeat would have broken lesser men, but not Groves. Not only did he brush himself down and carry on, he immediately went back to Wembley [Arena rather than Stadium], for the purpose of a European title fight against Christopher Rebrasse, and exorcised demons the only way he knew how. He punched them away. He punished himself and opponents. Hangover prolonged, he was good some nights, not so good on others.
Indeed, when Groves fell agonisingly short in a WBC super-middleweight title shot against the underrated Badou Jack in 2015, it seemed his dream of becoming a world champion was as good as over. Floored early, he fought bravely to claw back the deficit, but it wasn’t enough according to three ringside judges and Groves, like so many, left Las Vegas empty-handed. It triggered some soulsearching and another dismissed coach. He considered his future.
Still, Groves wouldn’t be denied. He hooked up with Shane Mcguigan, his latest right-hand man, and pieced together an impressive seven-fight winning streak, the highlight of which was the May 2017 brawl with Fedor Chudinov that landed the Londoner a world super-middleweight title [WBA] some feared would forever elude him. Marked up, and under pressure from the off, Groves rallied back in round six to launch an inspired salvo of shots to both shock Chudinov and delight the 20,000 fans at Bramall Lane who so dearly wanted to see British boxing’s nearly man crowned world champion. They got their wish: George Groves was a world champion at the fourth attempt.
It finished the way most boxing careers tend to finish, of course. It finished with Groves knowing the thrill and motivation had gone but requiring definitive proof in the ring on fight night. Painful though it was, he received this last September when Callum Smith, a bigger, stronger and fresher super-middleweight, snatched his precious WBA title and delivered all the confirmation a sensible man required to make a sensible decision. It was the sort of defeat for which Smith might one day be thanked.
On reflection, perhaps the most admirable thing about George Groves’ decision to retire is this: Groves, as shrewd in business as he is in a boxing ring, will have known there was more money to be squeezed from his sport. Rematches with the likes of James Degale
‘IT WAS A VICTORY THAT DELIVERED GROVES THE BRAGGING RIGHTS FOR LIFE’
and Chris Eubank Jnr [against whom Groves successfully defended his world title in 2018] and even Callum Smith could have generated a steady income for the next year or two and he will have no doubt been told 30 is no age to retire and that an athlete is a long time retired. He will also be aware his biggest fight is ahead of him – in retirement, away from the spotlight, when void of routine, as not a fighter but a family man.
Yet, despite the potential to profit from half-baked domestic rivalries, as well as the concerns all boxers have when transitioning back to civilian life, Groves refused to denigrate himself or drag us along on a sad lap of dishonour. And for that he should be applauded.
Wise beyond his years, the Hammersmith man knows far more now than he did when turning professional as a 20-year-old in 2008. He knows he is not the boxer he used to be and is therefore in danger of losing fights he once would have won. He knows that four stabs at a world title might be all the luck he is going to get in this brutal, unforgiving business and that to try your luck is to tempt fate.
Crucially, he knows, because of his tragic experience with Eduard Gutknecht in 2016, what a scary old game boxing can be and that fleeing relatively unscathed is a victory greater than a world title for anyone fortunate enough to achieve it.