Groves: I’m not underestimating rival Eubank Jr

GEORGE Groves has stressed he is not underestimating Chris Eubank Jr but is in no doubt he will defeat his fellow Briton when they clash this weekend.

The WBA super-middleweight world champion fights Eubank Jr, holder of the lesser-regarded IBO title, at the Manchester Arena tomorrow in a World Boxing Super Series semi-final.

Groves (27-3, 20 KOs) won his belt last May by beating Fedor Chudinov in what was his fourth attempt at claiming a world title, having previously fallen short against Carl Froch, twice, and Badou Jack.

And the 29-year-old has described this bout against Eubank Jr (26-1, 20 KOs) as “easier” than any of those, or overcoming James DeGale in 2011.

When asked if there was a danger of him underestimating Eubank Jr, Groves said: “No.

“He may go on to prove me wrong, but I do believe my fights against James DeGale, Carl Froch, Badou Jack and Chudinov were tougher, not just because they were physically better fighters than Eubank Jr, which I believe they were, but the build-up, the business side of things, the pressure. All were far greater than this fight.

“I know he’s desperate to win this fight, to become world champion, to believe this is the fight that takes him out of his dad’s shadow.

“But desire alone is not enough. I have learned. I’ve been in fights where I would give anything to win and I get knocked out.

“It is not going to come down to who wants it most. This is about a level I don’t believe he can compete at, and once I start landing big shots, he’s not going to be able to stand up to them.

“I don’t think it will go 12 rounds. I will hurt Eubank Jr and once I have, he is not going to hear the final bell.”