So guys, how do you rate George Groves in the Pantheon of British Super Middleweights?

Decent

 

He is a level below all those you mentioned.

One thing Groves won't get credit for is helping get British boxing back to where it is. He really got the public interested again with the Froch fights.

Good career, never backed down from a challenge, maybe a tad unlucky along the way and he was led by emotions too much criminally forgetting to fully utilize his excellent jab.

 

I think he’s behind all the fella’s you mention bar Michael Watson who I thought was predominantly a middleweight (?). I think you’d have to give Robin Reid a shout and James Degale. It’s all subjective. He’s retired relatively early.

 

Could have and should have been so much better. I thought he was really going to be the best super-middleweight post Calzaghe, under Booth, and will forever wonder what could have been had they not parted. Good career and I'm glad he became a world champ, but he underachieved for me. I'm with the two guys above that say he's behind the names you mentioned, as well, although yet again could have (or could have should have - getting a bit ridiculous... if they met) beaten some of them. He had so much natural talent, but probably too much arrogance leading to poor decisions in fights and questionably outside fights. I was always a big fan and wish he had gone on longer. He had a tough career that ended pretty young. Wishing him luck in retirement.

 

I don't think he was on the level of the guys listed above. Degale, Reid, Woodhall etc... are better comparisons. I'm glad he finally got his world title as he was looking like becoming another Kevin Mitchell style nearly man. But winning a vacant title against a mediocre opponent and defending it twice doesn't put you on the level of the very top guys. Had some good wins (Degale, Johnson, Chudinov, Murray, Eubank) and can look back on his career with pride. Had the sense to know when to get out as well rather than going on too long, which you can't say for all of the above.

 

Was unlucky not to get the nod against Jack...

I’d say he’s slightly behind the guys mentioned but Calzaghe is way ahead of the lot...Groves is closer to them than they are to Calzaghe...less Watson who I thought was a mw.

He wasn’t far off Froch tbh...better boxer just more vulnerable.

 

The top tier is Calzaghe, Froch, Benn and Eubank. Groves' achievements at 168 don't really compare to those guys, but he comfortably has a place in the second tier with Reid, Woodhall, Degale, and Callum Smith (presently). He deserves to be rated above Catley, Magee, Wharton, Close and a few others in that bracket. Watson had one meaningful fight at the weight so I don't think he comes into the equation, unless you're talking purely in a H2H sense where he was clearly on the same level as Benn and Eubank.

Unlike (eg) Woodhall, you could see Groves giving any of the top tier hell on his best day. He's similar to Reid in the sense that he didn't always put it together, but when he did he was a class operator. He wasn't quite as hot and cold as Reid though; it's difficult to see Groves losing to Branco or an ancient Malinga; Groves' losses all came against top level fighters.

 

Not as good as the likes of Calzaghe, Eubank snr, Benn and, as much as it pains me to say, Froch, but a very good boxer nonetheless. I loved the Paul Smith KO, that was beautiful.

 

If he had beaten froch in the 1st fight and got the nod against jack then that would’ve swayed it for me

 

Unlikeable, over-rated but entertaining and hard working fighter. In the pantheon? He's fetching drinks for Froch.....

 

I would rate him high. Calzaghe just in front of Froch (yes, just), I think Groves and Degale were more talented than Benn, Eubank, Collins and Watson. Those dudes held the WBO belt when it was in it's infancy, they are massively over rated. Benn at least held a WBC title but other than McClellen and an ageing Barkley, I don't think the opposition was so great. I would go Calzaghe, Froch, Groves, Degale, Benn, Eubank, Collins,Watson.

 

He had the talent to match Calzaghe, Benn, Eubank, Froch, Watson etc however he never had the durability as the above mentioned. Huge difference and major factor at the elite level.

 

Decent. A bit short of the real great British super middles but I tell ya he has had a brilliant career.