Groves and Degale: such short primes

You’re English is pretty good, mate. Welcome to this section of the forum.

 

I did mate, to the extent that I’m sure I stated months ago on here I didn’t want the fight to happen when there was a possibility due to Groves’ injury. I didn’t want it to happen because I didn’t want Groves to get a beating against someone all wrong for him and be written off and have people under state his achievements like what’s going on now. I’m a big fan of both and was banned on here at the time of the fight but I was shocked at how the bookies and many on here thought the fight would go. It was almost as easy money as Groves to beat Eubank was. If Groves was Smith’s size size I’d say he wins that fight 8/9 times out of 10 but he isn’t and we saw what happened. I do think Smith is a monster for the weight, especially when you consider Groves is far from small for it.

 

Just echoing a few sentiments here, I never rated Callum too much myself, but plenty of people on here have tipped him to be a world champion for a long time.

And for as long as I can remember his name first mentioned he has been referred to as the best of the Smiths. His high praise at the minute is nothing new, trawl the forum and I'm sure you'll find plenty about him.

As for Degale and Groves; did Degale ever have a prime? He had so much potential but always made fights needlessly difficult for himself. Struck me as a lazy fighter. And Groves has been through it all inside the ring, that and his shoulder injury against Eubank - no one seems to mention that but i reckon it was a factor in his camp for Smith

 

I have to say I didn't really rate Callum much before the Groves fight. You have to hand it to him though. He's done what Froch did to Groves and in one less fight. A whole host of supermiddleweights couldn't take George out in the fashion Callum did.

 

His Title Record

Won English Title Round 1 KO
Won British Title Round 1 KO (against guy who is WBA Regular chsmpion)
Won European Title Round 1 KO
Won WBA World Super Title & Ring Magazine Belt with a 7th round KO in his 1st world title fight and is unbeaten. Hes backed it up more than anyone else in tbe division !

 

Until this tournament he was loved on here with loads of people tipping him to be a world champion. Not having a pop at anyone on here but many lost a bit of faith with Smith because of his 1st two fights in this tournament, though I took note of Joe G sensible saying at the start Callum just needs to do enough to get through each round as it's a knock out competition. As a result he got to final unscathed, Groves on other hand thought each fight like it was the final and got damaged in process. I think along with tactics in final its another thing Joe G deserves praise for.

 

I still think splitting with Booth was a bad bad day for Groves career.

 

To be fair people (myself included) had been sleeping on Smith. Partly due to lacklustre performances and also the clear limitations Gallagher has as a coach.

That was a good win vs Groves. He is big for the weight, hits hard with both hands and has a good engine and chin. I favour him over every SM

 

I Like posters like you, asyour honest m8. What it's about. Many on here still wanting to put Callum Smith down because they got it wrong, which we all do from time to time, I certainly do. Smith does fundamentals very well, terrific boxing IQ. He is helped the last few years have been poor for the division. Put it this way a few years ago DeGale or Groves wouldn't have won world titles, both even at best have/had too many flaws and were a couple of levels of prime Froch and Kessler let alone Ward. We're as Smith has potential to get to Froch, Kessler level (might be there now) but needs more big results before he deserves the compliment.

 

Badou Jack ruined them

 

Agreed with this. The way Haye and Groves used to move and defend under Booth oozed class and concentration.