NOW George Groves is the new WBA super-middleweight champion, he takes his place among the big names in the sport. While he recovers from his victory over Fedor Chudinov, there are few more appealing fights than Groves taking on his bitter rival James DeGale, the reigning IBF super-middleweight champion.
The two came from the same amateur club, boxed each other then and renewed hostilities when they fought for the British title as professionals. Groves was victorious in both of those encounters, although DeGale has won an Olympic gold medal and beat George to winning a professional world title.
Shane McGuigan, Groves’ trainer, insists his man however still has James DeGale’s number.
“I believe so. I do,” Shane told Boxing News.
He continued, “Everyone wrote off Badou Jack when George fought him. ‘Oh, it’s going to be an easy fight.’ And then everyone went into the Badou Jack fight against James DeGale saying, ‘Oh, it’s a 50-50.’ But the fact is he beat James DeGale, James luckily got a draw. George in his fight was equally as close. I feel like Badou Jack did a much more impressive number on James DeGale than he did on George Groves. He had a nightmare start and overcame it, whereas DeGale had a great start and a nightmare finish. George is always labelled as the guy that gasses down the straight, can’t hold a shot, we’ll see.
“I believe I’m working with the best super-middleweight in the world and time will tell that.”
For an in depth interview with Shane McGuigan about Carl Frampton, David Haye and much more, don’t miss next week’s issue of Boxing News
