Pure boxing isn’t his style like Groves or Saunders, his game is all about using fitness and strength to overpower his opponent with sheer volume. As alluded to earlier, if he was boxing back when thy did 15 rounds that would much better suit his game.
Yeah tend to agree mate. Forgot all about the weight. Groves was too big for him...think eubank senior talked about how weight classes dont matter etc beforehand. Probably not as much in his day but with the weight manipulations etc nowadays....they defo matter...especially for a style like eubanks juniors when he doesnt really rely on skill to win fights...more intensity etc
Eubank had a bad cut above the right eye from round 3 onward which undoubtedly effected his range and timing, there was a lot of blood pouring straight into the corner of his eye and he was a notoriously slow starter back then too so hadn't really got going. Regardless, Groves made him look like a complete amateur and was practically rope-a-doping him in the 12 round with one arm, Junior was telegraphing haymakers that groves could see coming a mile away. From a boxing perspective, it was a little embarrassing however he stuck in there and tried his best under the circumstances.
One of the few times I looked like a boxing expert was groves bs Eubank. Remember mates saying I was mad that I thought groves would school him. This post would be easier if it was the most overrated fighter, I would say Eubank jr would fit that!!
There’s a fine line between underrated and overrated in boxing. Someone like John Ryder springs to mind as an underrated fighter, at least on an international stage, and that’s why domestically he’s liked as a plucky underdog.
Funnily enough, I rewatched Groves v Junior last night before reading this thread. Groves’s ring generalship was top notch for most of the fight. At every opportunity he kept Junior on the outside with his jab which hindered Junior’s ability to move in on the inside effectively, and when he did manage it, Groves tied him up and reset. For me, it was the difference between boxing and fighting. It also exemplified why Junior is better operating at 160, there was about a stone difference on the night. Junior is brilliant in the right matched fight. He should be kept away from prime quality operators with quality footwork. Funnily enough, I felt Groves was on his way out in that fight (in terms of the stage of his career) when I watch it back. He kept getting caught with the lead left hook when he committed to the jab. He had the strength and boxing brain but his speed and reflexes weren’t what they were. Great fight though.
I think making SMW was taking it's toll on Groves by this point also, his punches had lost there snap compared to when he was younger (and smaller at the weight). Remember him doing an interview before the weigh in and he was struggling to speak his throat was that dry, looked like a prisoner of war.
McCallum completely dismantled Watson Changed my opinion of how good the UK domestic fights at the time were....
Eubank completely outboxed Michael in the first five rounds before severe dehydration from the weight, at 24.
He's better than just' good' , He's P4P number 1 in the UK right now ( well it's him or Fury) Maybe he doesn't get much press in england cause he's a scot.
