He will try but his footwork will let him down and he instead will stumble in swing and miss the final slot !
Na this kinda thing is to be expected. I know the super six with Froch, Ward etc had a few setbacks due to injuries
Bit pants for Smith - Brahmer was exactly what he needed, tuff been there seen it done it but at an age and stage of his career where Callum should have had too much..A much-needed learning fight gone.
Braehmer is a total shithouse, he's bottled it completely. Think Chris Sr needs to lend him his copy of the Warrior's Code.
This post was in no way a dig at Smith, it was a general outlook of the tournemant. For what it's worth I think Groves beats Smith, especially with Joe G in the corner...
As others have said, this is a huge blow for Smith. He could yet end up fighting Groves with no top level experience whatsoever. I rate the lad, and have always sung his praises, but it’s very very difficult to jump levels. He’s fought nobody beyond Euro level (Skoglund looked a right handful but sadly we will never know how good he could have been) and hasn’t been active enough. Groves is a world level fighter, he’s experienced and he knows how to nick rounds. Smith would have to adjust to that level, but by the time he’s found his feet in the fight, he could be relying on the big shot cos Groves will have drifted out of sight on the scorecards. Braehmer would have made him work so hard, cognitively and physically.
will they get a replacement or push it back? why not push it back as the winner will have to wait for groves to be fit anyway?
Smith's chances have lessened with no fight against Braemer behind him. But will Groves fight without his shoulder being 100% ? Possible giving Smith an advantage if he make a final. Feel sorry for Smith as if he makes final and beats Groves many will say George wasn't 100% fit.
you think there could be more to this... ie Hearn offering some money to Braemer? he pulls out Smith fights Groves in the final and the dont give Groves the full time to recover? means Smith fights a lesser prepared possibly less than 100% Groves to win a world title.
There's no way Groves will fight unless he's 100% fit for the final, they'll have no choice but to move it as long as he's not out for months. He said in his interview with Kugan - he's the only legitimate world champion in the tournament and without him there'd be no belt in the final - and he's right... The only attraction for Callum Smith in the final without Groves would be money and for the general public there'd be little to no interest in Callum Smith fighting a random step in (or someone who's already lost) to crown the tournament winner and that wouldn't bode well for any future WBSS... Even worse, what if the kick boxer beats him! That'd **** everything up
The Junior beating Smith bit made me chuckle. I would have thought exactly the same thing before Saturday night, too. Junior has more experience with the magnitude of an event, but Smith has very solid fundamentals, which includes a very strong jab. He’d really hurt Junior big time.