The Mail on Sunday

Benn the Dark Destroyer tells Groves: I’m backing you to win

- By Jeff Powell

GEORGE GROVES’S blockbuste­r rematch with Carl Froch at Wembley on Saturday has fuelled comparison­s with the Battle of Britain clashes of the Nineties neties between Nigel Benn and Chris Eubank. ubank. And Groves has revealed that t Benn has telephoned him m from Australia, where he e now lives, to say he expects his fellow Londoner to gain revenge over Froch — and to advise him on how to do it.

Groves said: ‘I couldn’t have been given this boost by anyone ne I admire more. Nigel has always been one of my heroes. The Dark Destroyer oyer was a perfect nickname for him. m. He was a warrior, never ducking anyone and always carrying the fight t to his opponents.

‘He wished me well and d said he is tipping me to win. He told d me to keep perfecting the game-plan n which knocked Froch down in the first round ound of the first fight and put me ahead on the scorecards before that pre premature stoppage — then to make sure I do don’t lose concentrat­ion. He said he’ll be w watching on Australian TV next Saturday, in the sunshine, his toes in the sand, enj enjoying a barbecue.’ Benn Benn, at 50 twice the age of Grov Groves, clearly sees something of h himself in the young cha challenger for Froch’s world su super-middleweig­ht titles. Groves said: ‘Nigel was the tr truest of warriors — more so t than Carl. He sees himself as a warrior, but I suspect he w will run in the first half of t the fight in the false belief th that I will run out of steam the longer it goes. But I’ll knoc knock him out in the third.’

 ??  ?? HERO WORSHIP: George Gr Groves is a big fan of Nigel Benn
HERO WORSHIP: George Gr Groves is a big fan of Nigel Benn

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