Part 3 of the Adam Booth interview 'Question: How will George Groves and Chris Eubank Jr deal with the recent injuries to their opponents (Nick Blackwell and Eduard Gutknecht)? Adam Booth: “It will have affected George more. I think George has obviously had to deal with it. I don’t think Eubank has had to deal with it.” Q: Could this fight on Saturday (February 17) be a potentially brutal affair? AB: “If it goes past the fourth round, yes.” Q: If it ends early, will it be Groves walking away with the victory? AB: “George is heavy-handed enough to stop any super-middleweight early. And although Junior is not the most polished, he improvises with his defence. If that improvisation doesn’t work and George is able to stand him upright, that is where he controls the fight. Also, up close George is plenty strong enough to manhandle Eubank. “But, again, emotional composure comes into play. While George works that jab and uses that high energy to stay at long range, he will know the energy of the man in front of him, and will know that if he doesn’t get rid of him or can’t hurt him, he’s in for a long, hard night.” Q: Does Eubank Jr have the power to end the fight early in his favour? AB: “I think for Eubank to win the fight early he would have to get George trading up with him. If George keeps to his boxing and keeps it simple, Junior doesn’t have the power to get rid of him from that position. George, though, can get rid of someone from a measured position.” Part 4 Question: What are George Groves and Chris Eubank Jr like in the changing room before a fight? Are they good at handling the pressure? Adam Booth: “I don’t know what he’s like now, but George used to be very good on fight night and in the changing room. “In the couple of fights I did with Junior I can’t say I saw anything that made me think he’s uncomfortable in that situation, either. He seemed at ease. I think they will both be fine on the big stage.” Q: Eubank Jr seems to thrive amid chaos and disorder and is very much his own boss in camp. Does the unorthodox nature of this set-up become a problem now he’s facing a world-class super-middleweight capable of exposing the lack of leadership? AB: “I think his ‘uncoachability’ could be his biggest strength. He’s just got that mental fortitude not to care or listen. He’s prepared to do it himself. He’s quite galvanised in that sense. His biggest weakness could be this: if what he’s doing isn’t working, how’s he going to get out of that? “It’s the same with both of them. Their strength is also their weakness. George is very aware. He’s a thinker. And he’s coachable. But, by the same token, he’s less ignorant in his approach, and because he’s more aware he becomes a little more emotionally vulnerable.” Q: To what extent have both improved over the years? AB: “I think Groves looks stronger and more powerful now than he was when he fought Badou Jack. I think he seems to have his power back – the power I remember him having. I think he’s stronger and heavier-handed now but seems to have a lost a bit of speed and snap. He also hasn’t looked composed for a while. “Groves kind of makes the same mistakes he used to make. He has the same postural problems. But he’s got big fight experience now and he’s lost and he’s been knocked out. He’s kind of experienced it all. That can help but it can also hinder. It all depends on what goes on in his mind during those hard rounds. “In terms of how much they have improved since they used to spar, Eubank is the one who has improved considerably more. He has matured and evolved a lot because he needed to grow otherwise he wouldn’t have reached this level. “Ultimately, Groves is more intelligent, more dangerous with his punching, and certainly more measured. Eubank, on the other hand, improvises more and is more ferocious with his intensity and intent.”
