A Boxing Memory: George Groves

A Boxing Memory: George Groves

It looked like a story of what if. So near, but so far. The nearly man of British boxing. But at the fourth time of asking, he finally got the job done. It was an emotional night, even his old rival applauded. Carl Froch, just for a second or two, forgot his own stadium moment and the never-ending 80,000 line. Even he seemed genuinely happy for his old dance partner.

George Groves did it the hard way. A lesser fighter would have walked away. And few would have blamed him. But he stuck at it. Groves finally found his kindred spirit in Shane McGuigan. A partnership that worked. The last piece of the pugilistic jigsaw. What could have been if they had found each other earlier. We’ll never know. But I bet even Froch is glad that they didn’t.

“It’s a lifetime’s work achieved,” Groves said post-fight. It was a now or never moment if ever there was one.

It was the perfect venue, the ‘Theatre of Dreams.’ I’m a long-suffering Blade, I can say that. Dream is the keyword I know. The Russian Fedor Chudinov came to Bramall Lane in Sheffield in 2017 with hope and plenty of ambition. His resume had only one loss in fifteen fights. A controversial defeat by way of a majority points decision to Felix Sturm in his previous fight in 2016 was the only blemish for the former WBA champion. Sturm failed a drugs test and the title was declared vacant.

Groves started slow, an accidental headbutt in the 4th round cut Groves over his left eye, and there were signs that Groves would fall short yet again on the world stage.

We had been here before. Two fights with Carl Froch ended in controversy and disappointment. The sudden ending at Wembley Stadium gave Froch material for the boxing afterlife. Once beyond bitter rivals, they made up, became friends and now they work together. Only in boxing, as the famous quote goes.

A third attempt at a world title also ended without reward. In 2015, Groves went to Las Vegas to fight Badou Jack for the WBC super-middleweight bauble. Groves was dropped heavily in the opening round. He recovered and had more than a case for complaint. Groves dropped a split decision, and even though he was only 27, time was running out. Two years and four wins later, Groves was almost certainly in the last chance saloon.

The start and the cut in the early stages of that fourth attempt at world glory at the home of Sheffield United must have left even Groves feeling he would be denied once again. It looked as though it was all getting a little too much for Groves. He was boxing well at times. He caught Chudinov with plenty of solid punches, but the Russian just kept coming and his chin seemed impregnable. The feeling was that Groves would crumble down the stretch.

But Groves bit down on his mouthpiece. Even a broken jaw couldn’t stop him this time. Slowly but surely, the tide started to turn. Groves started to land with more potency, and Chudinov eventually started to show, at least some signs of fragility. In the 6th round, Groves unleashed a salvo of brutal right hands. Chudinov suddenly started to wilt, he didn’t go down, but he’d stopped throwing punches in return. The referee Steve Gray called a halt just past the minute mark and plenty of demons for Groves were finally put to rest. Groves may have been the supporting act for Kell Brook on his beloved hallowed turf, who would later in the evening lose his world title to an emerging superstar, but it was Groves who stole most of the headlines the following morning. Nobody could deny him his moment.

Groves had three more fights after his emotional win over Chudinov. A routine stoppage win over Jamie Cox was followed by an excellent victory over Chris Eubank Jr in 2018. Groves was simply superb against Eubank. Even dislocating his shoulder in the 12th and final round couldn’t stop him. Groves was perhaps never better than he was that night in Manchester.

In the final of the World Boxing Super Series, Groves found Callum Smith too much for him in Jeddah. Groves lost his world title and his career. There was shoulder surgery after the Eubank fight that delayed his fight with Smith, and in truth, it looked like one fight too many. There were no excuses in the aftermath and after initial claims that he wasn’t finished, on reflection, and at 30, he was.

“After taking a little time to reflect on the recent events in my career, I have decided that it is time for me to retire as a professional fighter. In 2017, I boxed in front of a home crowd in Sheffield and became the WBA super-middleweight world champion.

“After four attempts I had finally fulfilled my childhood dream, and the experience was as great as I had always imagined it would be. It was, without doubt, the best moment of my career.”

The fight with Chudinov wasn’t quite the final chapter but in many ways, it finished the story of George Groves. After British, Commonwealth and European success, the world title was the missing belt for the full set. After the two failed dances with Froch and the near miss with Jack, it did appear that Groves wouldn’t have that crowning moment. It took time, but when it did eventually come, it was truly a night of celebration. And perseverance.