How would you progress Groves's career in the next 12-18 months?

I wouldn't bother with the Dilks fight. He was poor against Adamu and Drake, Groves treat Adamu like a 3rd rate sparring partner..... it would be a pointless exercise.

If a fight with Smith, Magee or DeGale can't be made after this fight in Vegas then put him on some cards in both the US and Germany against equivalent standards of opposition to push him on.

There isn't much point spending time on the domestic scene just to say that he'd cleared up, when he could be furthering his education elsewhere.

 

Get the British, along with having the CW it'll force DeGale to either fight him or go down the Micky Mouse route in order to avoid him.

 

Groves will probably fight someone half decent in Vegas. From there he will have a commonwealth defence in the new season.

Dilks would make sense, and it looks like DeGale is fighting Quigley. If Anderson does indeed retire to take a brake, the board would be forced to order Groves vs DeGale for the vacant British title.

 

The opponents been announced for Vegas Rob. Nothing special and seems setup for Groves to look good (which is fair enough).

 

I'd like to see Groves make another defence or two of the CW title. Build up the rounds and the experience. Then batter the door down for the British coz by that time Smith wont be champion. European champion by next year.

Please, please no Groves v DeGale fight until it is a super-fight that grabs the entire public's attention ala Benn v Eubank. You want the hardcore and the mainstream into this one. That wont happen right now. The mainstream may have heard of DeGale thanks to the medal but not Groves. I want that fight to be for either British and European, World title or some sort of worthwhile unification. LET IT COME TO THE BOIL FOLKS!

DeGale v Groves in 2012 at the O2 or MEN. 20,000 pack em in.

 

Give it six months and get it signed.

I don't see the point in waiting, this attitude is killing our domestic scene, and it's got to stop.

 

It won't stop mate, thats the game these days unfortunately although I don't think those guys would have met at this stage of their careers even in the 70s or 80s. Promoters like to build a fight up to maximise the revenue, thats not a new occurance, its just a bit more noticable these days because fighters can get all the way to a world title without cleaning up domestically. At least years ago the showdown would happen at Euro level (which neither Groves or Degale have proved themselves at yet).

If you see that fight within 18 months then you've done very well.

 

half decent like i said.

either way i think we see DeGale vs Groves before the end of the year because Groves team wants it and DeGale cannot be seen to duck him.

If Smith cannot get Magee or a world title, and Anderson retires, theres nobody else for him to face domestically other than Groves and it would be a big fight. wouldn't be shocked if it happens either.

 

Yeah I know..... this is a really good fight, I just think that waiting for both guys to hold world titles is a bit insane, a bit like the Cleverly/Bellew thing.

Not every fight is like Leonard vs Hearns or Tyson vs Holyfield (before Mike got banged up) - with the domestic scene in both divisions being pretty poor there isn't a valid excuse to keep them apart IMO.

It only takes one of them to take an opponent lightly, get beat and the fight would be worth next to nothing.

 

Thats the chance they take, you know Leonard-Hearns got put off until the fight could build properly?

I don't think Bellew-Clev is the same as Degale-Groves. Bellew is a clear step behind Cleverly in terms of where his career is at, its makes perfect sense for everyone if Cleverly wins a world title, lets Bellew "catch up" and then fights him in a title defence.

 

Not a hope in hell Rob and you can bookmark this thread,:deal

 

You speak a lot of sense Gaz. You're spot on with the Bellew-Clev situation. As much as I like watching Bellew fight he aint on Cleverley's level yet, but it will come.
And I know everyone is crying out for these fights to happen now but us the fans will never win that argument against the "boxing is a business" argument. What's that old phrase? "If it don't make dollars it don't make sense."

Why the hell would you put on DeGale v Groves now. Say each fighter came away with £100k hypothetically and the promoters bagged x £s. In 2 years time if they remain unbeaten (which they will don't worry about that) they could walk away with £500k upwards. The fighters know this too. If DeGale v Groves happened now where would you host it? The York Hall? No, this is a mega-fight in waiting and deserves to headline a card in as big a venue as possible not in the York Hall, no disrespect, and not on the undercard of a Haye or Cleverley defence.

 

Yes - but there was more depth in the division.... plenty of quality fighters for them to face.

The SMW division domestically is empty bar those two, Smith and Magee are eyeing title fights (instead of facing each other :-() and Dodson/Quigley are moving up/down respectively.

That leaves Dilks, who is area level, and the likes of Mendy - who isn't ready, then a lot of journeymen.