It mostly comes down to which can impose his type of fight on the other. Groves needs to keep it long....a fencing match. Eubank needs to keep it close and frenzied and frenetic. Size could be a factor. Groves walks around about 14 stone....Eubank at about 12 stone. Against Murray groves was looking a bit disorganised at times when Murray attacked with gusto. Eubank isn't much bigger than Murray and Murray, a huge middle weight, was outsized by groves. A frenzied war could result in groves gassing and becoming vulnerable. Eubank has the advantage if this happens.On the other hand Eubanks strange inability to throw straight punches, for whatever reason, puts him at an additional disadvantage here. But if he can get inside groves long left lead and disrupt groves style of long range fencing...he could overwhelm groves by swamping him with barrages of hooks and uppercuts in close. Basically Eubank needs to engage while groves needs to keep his boxing tidy and long.
Groves wins ud it will be easier then people think Murrey gave groves a tough end to the fight thats because wasn't taking clean shot all the time Murray has a pretty good defense and better IQ to get through the fight were Eubank has terrible defense if any and poor footwork and is always off balance and telegraphes pretty much every punch and I don't know how he has a proven granite chin lol groves chin is more proven lol groves is probably the most skilled super middle at the moment and his only ever been knockout once and against Jack he got up and fought on level terms and Jack would completely smash Eubank
It's honestly so close, which is great for boxing. But the only way I can decide is going with Groves' experience, slightly tipping him
You dont feel like Groves looks older and slower now. I think we have to take that into account. Also lets not forget at the highest level his stamina has cost him. He is now 29.
I've said Groves all along. This is not to say I cannot envisage a Eubank win but I believe the only way he can is by a barrage of punches with Groves looking iffy when being pushed back on the ropes. I can see the ref possibly jumping in at this point, it's my only worry. Will Eubank be able to push Groves back? Cox did it but I think Groves neglected his jab a bit that night so it remains to be seen. I rewatched the Chudinov fight recently for first time on tele and was impressed with the body shots Groves was sinking into him whilst the Russian was coming forward. Obviously there was also the Cox stoppage and it looks like something Shane has recently brought more out of Groves. It will be good to see how Eubank takes these because he won't have taken one in a proper fight like them. If I had to put my life on it I'd go Groves knockout but I can also see a very hard fought points win after a gruelling last few rounds for both men. Groves has all the advantages in terms of boxing ability, experience and physicality. People say about Eubank's engine but he fights fellas who allow him to have half a round walking around pretending to show off when he looks goosed to me. Despite looking tired a lot Groves has proved many times he can fight for 3 minutes a round for 12. As I've said before, I still think Eubank will gas first. His chin is also raved about but who's landed on it? Spike did once or twice and BJS who isn't a ko merchant at a lower weight. I think they get it because his dad's was so good but are they forgetting Jrs chin has been diluted by the 'inferior' race haha (I'm white). I'd say if Groves keeps it long and doesn't trade too much when Eubank starts swinging he can lure Jr into a trap and counter with something heavy (probabaly a right hand) and ko him. I can't wait should be a great fight.
That's one of the most committed posts ever! Very few are prepared to commit to one or the other in this fight. Admire your courage.
I still think groves will stop him, probably with a devastating body shot. Haven’t seen anything to make be think that Jr does have a chin like his dad so maybe he will get ko. I don’t funk it goes the distance. The longer it goes, the better chance Jr has but it won’t go the distance. Groves just too good for him, that jab will cut him to ribbons
Two of my favourite boxers - neither is ever in a dull fight. I'd rather both beat up DeGale before fighting eachother but so be it. Groves always looks ragged under fire, and Eubank fires a lot. British stoppage late as George gasses and Eubank throws 1 billion punches.
I agree m8 though I think over short bursts groves could out do Eubanks up close as he is bigger stronger with more variety in his shots and they carry more power. Agree he needs to fight st length though do jab is crucial. But he needs to mix it up. I think Groves will win but great thing about this fight both fighters have strengths that the other doesn't so will come down to who imposes their strengths. Either way I think the winner will have something taken from themselves come the final.
Agreed with the above comment about this fight taking something out of the winner. When the fight was made I thought Groves would win this and now we get nearer I still think groves beats him. He is bigger with a great jab and has the experience in big fights. Whatever happens Callum Smith will be smiling as I think he will win the final.
I m going with eubank junior to win it. People are criticizing eubanks lack of footwork etc. Which is totally valid but I can see him being one of them rare guys that can do things wrong but because his other attributes/athletism is so good he,ll get away with it. Like say Joe calzaghe. Who wasn,t the greatest boxer the worlds ever seen but the opponents couldn't,t deal with the fast hands....his engine...how many punches he threw in short bursts etc. It didn't really matter his weaknesses. Eubanks got to be one of the most dedicated fighter out there. His old man for all the critism has done a sterling job of keeping him motivated. Teaching him the mentality required for top level boxing. The sons got almost the perfect mentality for it. He,s cold and he,s pretty unaffected by it all. Even putting someone in a coma. Groves cried about it. Eubank basically spoke about it and got on with business. Its not a good trait as a human being but as a fighter at the top level...it,ll stand him in good stead. Groves is class...difficult man to fight. Footworks good offsets opponents. He,s getting too used to bulldozing opponents tho. He's went too far away from booths game plans. Booth did have him on the leash too tightly at times...since then he,s let himself off the leash too much. The balance isn,t quite right for his style/attributes. Two things will win this fight for eubank...groves mindset he tends to underestimate others. And eubanks attributes are more suited to his style than groves,s is. I don't think it,ll come down to who,s the best boxer. They both actually fight a similar way nowadays...they both grind opponents down by volume. The problem for groves is....eubanks stamina will outlast him. His tank starts to go quite quickly when he,s hurt. Its possible for groves to win but he has to change his style for this one...I don' think he will tho. Go back to his old booth style. Much more effective as a sniper fighter against a style like eubanks. Its actually the perfect style to beat eubank.
He might look that way at times alright. But he might be able to turn this into the kind of fight where his lack of top level footwork, jab etc don't come into it. That's the key to this fight. Eubank has terrific dedication, toughness, fitness and ruthlessness. Long fights with lots of rounds rounds Provide him with a lot of time to overcome "better boxers". Froch wasn't a great boxer either, and groves outboxed him for long stretches of their battles, but he ended up losing, despite "outboxing" Carl for long stretches. Eubanks attributes might enable him to overcome groves "better boxing"! Boxing history is littered with examples of inferior "boxers" that managed to find a way to win in the end.