Analyzing Our Current Prospects

I think both have made good improvements since turning pro and both have impressed in different ways.

Groves was always gonna have trouble against Anderson in my opinion. Kenny's a tough guy and was willing to walk through anything Groves had to offer. It happens a lot where prospects get put down and struggle in their first real test as a pro. George is trying to learn to box and punch rather than just overwhelm as is often done as an amatuer. He didn't put enough sting in his punches against Anderson and got walked down and caught. Plus the whole hype build up with Haye-Harrison didn't help and Groves got carried away with the media side of things and forgot about just fighting.

George Groves needs to continue learning and if he follows the advice of Adam Booth, I think he can beat James DeGale.

DeGale on the other hand doesn't look like he'd ever struggle as Groves did. Come forward, domestic level opponents would just play to DeGale's strengths and he'd take apart someone like Kenny Anderson easily in my view. He's learnt better punch angles and starts to turn his shots properly. He's also got that awkward, southpawa style where he flicks out the jab and circles his body making him really hard to hit.

DeGale's got his first proper test next up against Paul Smith. I like DeGale in this one but it's a tough fight and DeGale definitely proves he's a genuine contender if he wins and wins well. I think he will win and will look good at times if a little inconsistent and it'll go to the judges.

If DeGale and Groves meet early next year as I hope, I don't actually think it'd be that good a fight. It would be scrappy and a little too tense with neither man really showing their best. I think DeGale would adapt better throughout the fight and win a close-ish decision. Providing he gets past Smith, DeGale and Groves need to fight next though as they're the best two at 168 domestic level in Britain. A loss doesn't mean either's career is over but a win would be massive. The reward far outweighs the risk once you get past the ego's of the two.

 

i think the likes of stephen smith, degale and groves all deserve props for taking good hard fights so early in their career :good

 

I think DeGale has made the better progress. DeGale had no substance about him in his first couple of fights. He wasn't punching with correct technique or hard enough. He wasn't setting himself enough, he was too busy attempting to look slick and flashy rather than setting his feet.

He's much more business like now. He knows when he's got an overmatched opponent infront of him, and he doesn't do anything more than he has to. He walks them down and basically throws punches until they get stopped. With some moments of class too. The one interesting factor is going to be how he settles into a fight when its genuinely competetive and not a walk over. Smith might just be the one to have a look at that.

Groves, I'm not feeling the improvements. Against a lot of these bums he could really just stand there teeing off which is fine, and he did fine against Adamu who was very slow. But I think under pressure he's looked a bit dodgy against Contreras and Anderso. There is a lot of excess movement, wasting a lot of energy with some of his movements when he's already out of range, reflexes not tight enough, getting caught square on with hands down.

That said, I think Groves has had tougher tests speaking before the Smith fight. Contreras put on a lot of pressure and was game, same for Anderson, whereas DeGale has never had anybody step to him just yet so I'm comparing them on an uneven footing.

 

Its good for boxing to build up rivalrys like these, yeah sure one of them may crash and burn after getting beat of the other one but the winner will be made into a star for as long as he keeps winning. Just hope one of them dosnt get beat before they meet each other. Plus if its a good fight we could get to see it again

 

This for me is the top prospect in each division. They cannot have held or fought for a domestic title (British, Commonwealth and above).
HW - Tyson Fury
CW - Matty Askin
LHW - Tony Jeffries
SMW - James DeGale
MW - Billy Joe Saunders
LMW - Brian Rose
WW - Mark Heffron
LWW - Frankie Gavin
LW - Ryan Brawley
SFW - Anthony Crolla
FW - Joe Murray
SBW - Carl Frampton
BW - Kid Galahad
SFlW - Jamie Conlan
FlW - Paul Edwards

 

I like DeGale over Groves atm. I don't see much in Groves really. His defence is horrible, he keeps his left low, doesn't use too much head movement and showed against Anderson that he doesn't have the power to back a guy up that's tough and keeps coming forward. To me its as if he;s trying to model his style on Haye, and he just doesn't have the attributes to make that style work, he's not got the power or speed to fight that way. He's got a pretty good jab and decent speed, and I think if he works on his defence he'll be able to kick on to the next level. He deserves credit for taking on a tough fight like Anderson though, and he can only improve and learn from such a fight.

DeGale has great hand speed, and defensively he's pretty sound. His style is quite awkward, though he doesn't throw the jab with enough authority IMO, its too much like a slap the way he throws it. Though he undoubtedly has skill, and as he steps up the level of opposition I'm sure he'll improve more. He's definitely got the attributes and looks really classy at times. Though its hard to say DeGale's improved more as his first real test is against Smith, whereas Groves has been in with a higher calibre of fighter.

I think if they fight early next year DeGale wins, he seems to be improving more, and doesn't have as many flaws as Groves. Though maybe the struggle against Anderson will be the kick that Groves needs and we'll begin to see marked improvements in his next few fights.

 

Agree with you buddy! i also think that kenny anderson is a star in the making! only time will tell

G

 

Don't like Groves' style at all.

A style like that works well for Haye because he's fighting slower/bigger guys and he has good one punch power. But Groves gets tagged too easily, his defense isn't great and it's not like he's got superhuman reflexes to get away with it.

He looks like a fish out of water at times and while he's doing the business at this level, I think he'll struggle as he fights better boxers.

I think DeGale will go further, but going to see how he does against Smith first before I judge.

 

Agree with the entirety of this post.

What you said about the Groves/Haye style is particularly relevant. Does not havt the power/reflexes for it.

 

Would defo go along with that although i fancy David Price as the better prospect at HW.

 

Fair point.