THE former trainer of both George Groves and Jamie Cox has warned the defending WBA champion he is fighting โthe most dangerous super-middleweight on the planetโ.
Groves makes the first defence of his title in both fightersโ first match-up of the World Boxing Super Series at Wembley Arena on Saturday night, having chosen to face Cox when as top seed he was given first pick at the competitionโs draw.
There is also the further incentive of a semi-final with Chris Eubank Jnr early in 2018, but despite Grovesโ status, Paddy Fitzpatrick believes he needs to be wary.
???? @StGeorgeGroves: “I worked my whole life to become World Champion, I’m not giving it up for anything!” ????#GrovesCox ???? #AliTrophy pic.twitter.com/4kzIjszY3Y
โ WBSuperSeries (@WBSuperSeries) October 13, 2017
That he trained both fighters gives him perhaps a unique insight into their chances, and Fitzpatrick told Press Association Sport: โItโs a very dangerous fight: Jamieโs the most dangerous super-middleweight on the planet.
โAfter the first three rounds youโll be able to tell whoโs going to win. If George comes out settled: heโs got one of the most educated jabs in the world, will make you want to dip under it, and then when you dip heโll drill you with the right hand. Heโs definitely the favourite and deserves to be.
โBut psychologically, George second-guesses himself now at round seven (and worries about fatigue): โWhy is this dude still there?โ
โI donโt think heโs picked Jamie because heโs the easiest opponent. It didnโt surprise me: George likes a challenge, wouldnโt want to face Eubank straight away, and except from Callum Smith, the other opponents arenโt English.
Press conference done today. #AliTrophy pic.twitter.com/uIz4vo53bu
โ George Groves (@StGeorgeGroves) October 11, 2017
โI would have had him doing more work psychologically on Jamie. I wouldnโt have suggested he pick Jamie, but itโs not a bad pick. Jamieโs doing the right thing: heโs kept his mouth shut, which is unlike him. Heโs done a good job of composing himself.
โGeorgeโs style can take advantage of Jamieโs emotional lack of composure; Jamieโs can take care of Georgeโs physical weaknesses. George is the bigger, stronger man, but if he gets close to Jamie, thatโs playing into what Jamie likes.
โGeorge has a world-class right hand; I had Jamie, at 4-0, sparring big heavyweights, he never had a problem with them, he has a great chin. Where it could go wrong for Jamie is if George gets him on the end of that jab, and then Jamie thinks โScrew youโ and starts to bite down too soon.โ
????ย @JamieCoxPro‘s post weigh-in interview โ “I’m ready to go!”#GrovesCox ???? #AliTrophy pic.twitter.com/ELt9srPB3X
โ WBSuperSeries (@WBSuperSeries) October 13, 2017
The defending champion on Friday weighed in at 167.1lbs, making him narrowly lighter than the 167.8lbs Cox, ahead of his first return to the venue at which his fight with Eduard Gutknecht left the German disabled.
โIโm not too concerned or nervous about going back,โ said Groves, 29. โIโve been there many times before. I can do my final week of camp in my own gym; will sleep in my own bed the night before.โ
Cox, a 31-year-old southpaw, has never previously boxed at world level, but he said: โI donโt care about my trophies and what I have achieved so far, the past is irrelevant: I care about the future.โ