having seen groves a couple of times, and now that i am seeing him at the MEN on saturday, i feel he does get hit too easy. He has got talent, i don't think anyone can deny that. But he has proved nothing, and the adamu fight i a MASSIVE step up in terms of level. He wouldn't get anywhere near knocking paul out, bearing in mind paul is 30 fights into a career that has seen him down once! It would be great to see grove v degale in the next year, but groves or degale for paul is a step back. Both six round fighters at the moment, who need at least another 4-6 fights to get to english level. Groves should be carefull what he wishes for though, as it might come back and bite him on the arse!
Behave!! The division isn't so strong that top amateur prospects have to fight this type of opposition for another year before moving up through the ranks. Groves already has a first round stoppage over Paul Samuels and a decent win in Germany over 8 rounds. I'd say he's being moved along just fine - we need to move fighters faster. Smith might have his 30-1 slate (or whatever it is) but a lot of them are tomato cans, quality > quantity..... he's finally been pushed after years of treading water. DeGale will slip up at some point in the near future, I'm certain (and hopeful).
Smith will probably drag Groves into a bore fest. Groves makes one mistake IMO, and that's standing the same way Haye does. He should figth his own style, not copy Haye, unless of course he's always fought with the left hand down? Would be a strange coincedence. But I see more potential in him than I do Smith, in terms of cracking the 'World' scene.
I'd say right now, groves looks more like he has the tools than degale. But i am still adamant that the pair of them could do a lot worse than learn the pro game a bit more. The step up too early can ruin some fighters so early in their career. Look at don broadhurst. hasn't fought since the fight against haskins. Being a commonwealth champ didn't help him so early in his career. I am not saying make these guys tread water for ages, but for groves to be shouting out right now is a bit over the edge. He is the one who needs to behave!
Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't stick him in with anyone, but I'd definitely be putting him in some good fights in the coming months. Broadhurst hadn't beaten anyone decent despite being Commonwealth champion, Haskins was way too good for him.... and probably always will be. There wasn't any indication that Broadhurst can beat anything above Afrobum level.
The only point i was making with broadhurst was that giving him that platform so early was no good for him. And the same could be true right now for the likes of groves or degale. The truth of the matter is groves and possibly degale have more talent to go further than broadhurst will, but there is no harm in bringing them along at the right pace. I fear FW is doing it with degale simply because he has lost a few marquee names in the last couple of years, and needs another name up in lights, and who better than degale, who most of the public know.
Still can't belive how bad Broadhurst was against Haskins. In fact that was possibly the worst fight i've ever seen. Back on topic, Groves looks a very good prospect and should now be stepping up his level of opponent. Like with Frankie Gavin, what's the point in putting them in against fighters league's below them? they'll never learn anything fighting against people who have zero chance of beating them.
Broadhurst was never that good anyway IMO. If you can't compete with British level early on then I personally wouldn't have much confidence with your development.
come to think of it, with his connections with haye/booth, i fully expect next time i see him to be wearing a t-shirt with a de-capitated paul smith on it
He must be confident in his ability to beat smith as I can't see him **** talking otherwise...saying he could beat him is one thing, but knock him out...so many boxers come out with that line and rarely back it up...