THE evidence is that George Groves has mellowed. He has won the WBA super-middleweight title, he has a sequence of high profile fights lined up ahead of him in the World Boxing Super Series and even appears to have buried his grudge with Eddie Hearn.
“I didn’t quite like him around the Froch fights,” Groves told Boxing News, “but I like him now. I thought I was going to take down the Matchroom empire. I got knocked out instead and he went from strength to strength. I became world champ on his card. I like Eddie. He’s alright. We’ve never done any real business together.”
He continued, “Back then I wanted to take over the world. I realised I don’t want to take over the world now. Very content with disappearing into obscurity once I’ve earned enough money to and I’ve knocked out a few more people. I wouldn’t mind promoting ad hoc, I think I’d be good at it.”
He might even be tempted into a mixed martial arts bout against a UFC fighter one day. “But I’d fight him in a cage,” he noted. “I wouldn’t mind giving it a go.”
At the moment he is occupied with the World Boxing Super Series, taking on Jamie Cox in their October 14 quarter-final. The tournament features other star names, like Chris Eubank Jr and Callum Smith, but Groves warns, “This tournament was built for surprises.
“Hopefully everyone stays in it, stays fit, no one tries to be too clever.”
Groves thinks this competition could be revolutionary in boxing. “It’s going to be phenomenal for the fight fan to watch. If it continues, then the average fan will [think] this is the best fighting the best, I’ve got to watch it,” he said.
“I suppose only time will tell. It needs the exposure. It needs a lot of money thrown at it, for people to understand it and buy into it. I feel they’re capable of that. I think it’s a very good thing.”
Tickets to Groves vs Cox at the SSE Arena in Wembley are available from £35 from www.axs.com
