Groves is fighting nobodies but can understand the need for him to keep busy after inactivity and injuries. Since losing to Groves it is DeGale who has perhaps progressed slightly more, both winning and defending the European SMW title - something Groves was angling to do before he signed with Hearn. Both are still up and comers in the division but are getting closer to world level with each fight. Who do you think is better at the moment? Who can see a rematch with a world title on the line maybe in the next year or 2?
DeGale has a horrible tendency to do just enough, I thought he did against Groves as well, so my vote goes to DeGale.
George Groves considering he beat him. Degale doesn't listen to his trainer either which is why i don't see him doing much at world level.
I had DeGale edging Groves when they met, but George looks like he developed better since then. Grover it is.
went to the fight and rate both. But for me george groves edges it think at world level degale will be guilty of admiring his work and as other posters said trying to do just enougth. Also despite his slapping having improved a little he still does not hit hardenougth where as groves has legitimate power.
For me, George Groves has served a near perfect apprenticeship and has been prepared expertly to step it up to the next level. He's had the perfect fights at the perfect time and is now, finally, remaining active, albeit against lesser opponents at the moment. He's fought good fighters at domestic level in DeGale, Paul Smith, Kenny Anderson and Charles Adamu, plus respectable foreign opposition in Francisco Sierra (a huge puncher) and an admittedly well past his best Glen Johnson. There's a good range of style in those fighters aswell - bangers, counter-punchers, slicksters and a couple of durable old ****ers in Adamu and Johnson. He's also faced extreme adversity of some of those fights aswell. He was cut badly against DeGale at a key point in an even fight, and managed to come through it. He was also cut against a monstrous puncher in Sierra and still knocked him out in brutal fashion. He was badly hurt against Anderson and even knocked down (was he knocked down once or twice? i can't remember and can't be bothered to check) yet still came back to stop a solid domestic level fighter. I like to see prospects face adversity in their early fights as it prepares them for when they face it on their step up. There's no point in a fighter bombing out 25 guys back to back without being challenged, and then being put in with a top fighter. It doesn't prepare him, and this is why i love the apprenticeship that Groves has served. DeGale has also had a decent run in his opening 15 fights, although not quite as good as Groves imo. He's fought a good range of styles and guys of differing size aswell. Zuniga, Wilczewski, Sanavia, Smiith and Groves himself are solid opposition for a man who's only had 15 fights. Mohoumadi also pushed him very, very well and put on an ridiculously determined performance! DeGale had to show some mettle in that fight against a man who would not be detered. I think the Mohoumadi fight really did show DeGale's lack of power though and that will cost him at the top level. He tends to slap a bit and doesn't sit down on his shots. He landed some hellacious shots on the man time and time again, yet didn't really budge him at all. All the top guys at 168 have solid chins (Kessler, Froch, AA, Stieglitz etc) and DeGale doesn't have even the power to trouble a Bute imo. Both are good fighters with solid fundamentals and they've both done extremely well considering the amount of fights they've had. They've fought solid opposition and have both came through adversity in differing circumstances. For me, Groves is the better prospect though, partly because i don't think DeGale hits hard enough to even gain the respect of the big guys at 68.
Groves may have beaten degale, but he did it running backwards the entire fight. I don't think he took 1 step forward, and he seemed totally happy to stink the place out if degale would not move forward. I wish Degale showed a little more killer instinct though, because he had him hurt at one point. And to answer the OP's question, sorry, but Degale is better.
DeGale beat Groves IMO, I like Groves but his chin looks suspect when it comes to getting in exchanges.
Very good post. I think DeGaele has actually had the better apprenticeship since the Groves fight. I also think durability and defensively he is much better then Grove. Groves is the better puncher but his chin is too bad for him IMO to succeed against some of the bigger hitters in the division. You mention that DeGale will have a problem at the top of the division because the top guys have great chins. That is true but Kessler, Froch, AA and Stieglitz have also shown that they can struggle with good boxers. When two punchers face eachother I usually go with the guy that can take the other guys stuff better. Even if the guy with the worse chin is the better boxer. Bute Froch is exhibit A. I think Groves may look better right now but at world level you can have the perfect everything but if you have a bad chin you won`t be able to endure for long at the top. Amir Khan exhibit B. It seems like both are destined to make it to world level. But I would put my money on chunky staying there longer.
