GEORGE GROVES today revealed that he broke his jaw in the third round of his stoppage win over Fedor Chudinov for the WBA super-middleweight title this past weekend.
The 29-year-old, making his fourth attempt at a world title, overcame a strong start from Chudinov to stop the Russian with an unanswered barrage of right hands in the sixth round.
Groves took to social media to reveal he will undergo surgery later today – not that it will wipe the smile off his face.
“It turns out I only went and broke my jaw in the 3rd round on Saturday, that or broke it from over smiling since!” he wrote.
#PreOpPic It turns out I only went and broke my jaw in the 3rd round on Saturday, that or broke it from over smiling since! #WorthItpic.twitter.com/YsiiZEyl2u
— George Groves (@StGeorgeGroves) June 1, 2017
Having twice lost to Carl Froch and then being outpointed by Badou Jack, Groves conceded that his chance against Chudinov, which served as chief-support to Kell Brook’s loss to Errol Spence, was most likely his last at world level.
The injury will obviously sideline him for a short while, but there are some tantalising options for him once he returns to action. Old rival James DeGale – who Groves outpointed in 2011 – holds the IBF title while Liverpool’s Callum Smith contends the WBC title in September. There is also WBO champion Gilberto Ramirez and even Brighton’s Chris Eubank Jnr, who recently made the move to 168lbs.
