DeGale Vs Groves Amatuer Fight Video

Nice one:good

 

Hardly a robbery, just a close fight. You can make an argument that either man won.

That said, the ams are not the pros. Degale was older and more mature at that stage and Groves was still super-competitive with him. Their respective styles make this fight interesting. Groves goes out to hurt his opponents, particularly with his body work. Degale likes to take his time, pot-shot early then throw sharp two-three punch combinations as his opponent slows down.

Degale does best when he comes forward, but becomes defensive and poses too much when he’s on the back foot. As Gooners said in his excellent analysis, he’s not hard to find when he’s in reverse. Paul Smith was able to time him with the right hand over the top and get to the body.

Groves is similar, doing best when he goes forward. He’s got decent movement but is too willing to back up the ropes. Once there he doesn’t cover up properly, but seems to move into shots. Kenny Anderson was able to cause him trouble simply by advancing on him and working hard.

But Degale isn’t Anderson. He’s not a pressure fighter and doesn’t have the power to put a serious hurting on Groves with one or two shots. He’ll need to wear George down if he wants a stoppage. Plus his slapping punches won’t do the damage that Anderson’s better technique did, certainly not early. He has to hope the approach he took to Smith will work for Groves.

But Groves isn’t Smith. He’s a better fighter and is at his natural weight. He can punch and he commits to the body rather than just following his man around. He can be ponderous if he’s on the backfoot, so he’ll need to commit to coming forwards, even if he’s losing the early rounds, to make sure he lands his overhand right and left hook to the body (the two best shots to use against a southpaw).

I see this being a close fight for four or five rounds, even if Groves is behind on the cards. Then either Groves bodywork will break Degale down for a slow, prolonged beating when Mcdonnell pulls the wanker out, or Degale will start to bust Groves up en-route to a 10th round stoppage.

Of course, there’s a third option where Degale gets hurt early and plays safe, stinking out the joint to win or lose on a horrid split decision we’ll debate for years to come.

 

Amateur video says nothing except it allows you to compare their evident talent such as agility, speed and reflexes. It is a typical nip tuck amateur bout. DeGale has become much more technically correct and savvy where as Groves has regressed as he drops his hands and develops and ambush style.

Then again, it does show show both have the ability to box and brawl. DeGales technique can be undone and he gets sloppy where as the video shows Groves can fight a more technically correct fight.

Ultimately, this is a 50-50 fight in size, talent and record. It will come down to execution, which will be a result of their mental maturity at this stage. Who will become emotionally invested, who has improved more as a pro, who will fight to a game plan, who will have a plan b etc

This is the reason elite 50-50 fights must be made at every level. It allows us to really gauge someones ability.

 

Who about adding a poll Mandana?

 

Was having a look through an old issue of Boxing News I found in the house yesterday and found a review of the fight. They were calling it a robbery but as it says above, Degale was far more experienced at this stage. I think I've still got a VHS of Groves boxing in the final of the ABA's this year, think he won extremely wide on points and the fight may have even been stopped due to the 20 point out classed rule.

 

Believe Groves was only 17 when they fought - Degale being 2-3 years older.

Groves won the fight imo.

 

With manual scoring I gave it 3-1 in favour of Degale...:yep

If it would have been done on a computer Degale would have pissed it...:yep

He threw lots that missed but the ones that got through were much cleaner and easier to be observed and picked up by the judges...:yep

Lots of water has gone under the bridge since then, the paid ranks is different, all will be revealed in the near future...:good