The biggest rematch of the year happens this Saturday (May 31) when George Groves seeks revenge against Carl Froch, the man who took a controversial stoppage win over him last November. Unlike the first bout, Froch has been much more comfortable with Groves’ trash-talk and taken the lead in most of their face to face encounters. Today, the Cobra talks about the respect he’s gained for Groves’ ability, and why that still won’t be prevent him from delivering a severe beating to his young rival this Saturday.
Discuss the first fight against George Groves & what can fans expect to see in the rematch.
For me to be involved in such a big event like this, it’s a very proud moment.
Through my whole career as a professional, I’ve never fought at a stadium. It ticks one of the boxes for me. Not many boxers get the chance to fight in an outdoor event, especially a stadium as fantastic as Wembley.
We’re going to get closure on this whole Carl Froch-George Groves saga. I’m really looking forward to putting on this display and putting him behind me in this fabulous stadium, in the capital city, on Sky Sports Box Office. It doesn’t get any bigger than this for British boxing.
I’m in a much better place this time and there’s certainly not anything he’s going to say that’s going to wind me up. It’s impossible. The hatred started when George was being really disrespectful and playing down my performances and writing me off.
I thought to myself ‘hang on a minute, I’m world champion. I deserve a little bit more respect.’ But there’s nothing he can say now that is going to get under my skin.
You can slip into what we call the comfort zone where you are trying to do things comfortably just to get through the session sometimes. I always put the work in in the gym physically with what I need to do.
But sometimes your mind is not always there and it’s sort of just getting through the session rather than really digging in and then getting stuck into the session.
So that’s where I am at now, I’m getting stuck in and thinking about what I am doing and concentrating a lot more in the gym than what I did for the first fight.
I’m guilty of not giving George Groves the respect he deserves in the first fight. It was difficult to because he was talking so much trash. George Groves had not boxed anyone ranked in the top 15 in the world. That’s the facts.
He still hasn’t beaten anyone ranked in the top 15 in the world, because the only person he did fight was me and let’s not forget that result. It was a round nine stoppage. But I do need to give him a little more attention, a little more boxing respect and go in there totally focused and totally prepared, which I wasn’t in the first fight.
I get to do it all over again, but this time I’ll finish the job properly, finish it conclusively and leave no question marks. I’m so excited that I’m going to give George Groves an absolute pasting in front of such a big crowd on a massive event. I cannot wait.
Froch vs. Goves II takes place Saturday, May 31 live on HBO beginning at 4:00 p.m. ET/PT.
Beats, Boxing and Mayhem 