Shane McGuigan on George Groves defeat to Callum Smith

George Groves Callum Smith

WHATโ€™S next for George Groves remains an open question. The Londoner lost his WBA super-middleweight title to Callum Smith in the final of the World Boxing Super Series in Jeddah in September. He will now take a break from the sport, from training, as he considers his future.

His trainer, Shane McGuigan gave Boxing News his breakdown of the fight. โ€œI thought George was doing well, started a bit slow. We had a deadline with the shoulder, rushed it back [from injury] a little bit but he had a guy, Ben Carraway, who did a phenomenal job in rehabbing it, so did Kevin Lidlow and George, credit to himself, put in so much effort. Now the fightโ€™s happened. From a tactical standpoint he did well, he was getting his jab off as the rounds were going through. Callumโ€™s got a good drop back, but when George was doubling his feint up, jabbing he was getting success. But he got caught with a great shot and in hindsight could have took a knee but didnโ€™t. Got hit with a great body shot. Youโ€™ve just got to take it as it is. We were up with one scorecard, we were down with another and we were level on the other. It was a pick โ€˜em fight. But Callum hurt him in the third round and obviously in the seventh it was a very, very good finish,โ€ McGuigan said.

Groves needs to reinvigorate himself now. โ€œWeโ€™ve had three years together and weโ€™ve had such a busy, busy schedule,โ€ his trainer said. โ€œHeโ€™s had a lot on his plate, overcoming the shoulder. I think his mindโ€™s exhausted more so than his body. He needs a bit of time off, reassess his career and his goals and see where he wants to go with his life. That can only happen with time.

โ€œI said get out the gym, for the whole rest of the year. Heโ€™s been doing it since he was 20 years of age, as a pro. Heโ€™s boxing since 11, kickboxing when he was nine. He hasnโ€™t done anything else but be in the gym the whole time, non-stop. He thought he had a big time out between Badou Jack and working with me but it was really only four months and he was training for three of those.

โ€œHeโ€™s got to have some time out to mentally let himself recharge.โ€

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