George Groves is winding up everyone ahead of his rematch with Carl Froch... even referee Charlie Fitch

  • George Groves has failed in his protest about referee Charlie Fitch
  • Fitch will referee Groves' super-middleweight bout against Carl Froch 
  • Froch won the first bout with a ninth-round stoppage at Manchester Arena in November
  • Groves is concerned that Fitch's preference for a free-flowing fight might benefit Froch
  • Eddie Hearn, Froch's promoter, turned down David Reiss as an official

By Jeff Powell

Published: 16:30 EST, 27 May 2014 | Updated: 07:57 EST, 28 May 2014


Objecting to the referee only four days before the biggest fight in post-war Britain is just the latest quirk from George Groves and he will enjoy the war of nerves even though his appeal failed.

Groves, who will exchange grudge-laden championship blows with Carl Froch at Wembley Stadium on Saturday night, is clearly a boxer with a difference.

He split with his trainer just before his first tilt at Froch’s world super-middleweight title, and this is the same eccentric who has just signed for a German promoter on the eve of the rematch which will make him a superstar in Britain, win or lose.

VIDEO Scroll down to watch George Groves working out

Failed: George Groves (left) lost his protest about Charlie Fitch refereeing Saturday's bout against Carl Froch

Failed: George Groves (left) lost his protest about Charlie Fitch refereeing Saturday's bout against Carl Froch

Rematch: Groves will fight Froch in front of a sell out crowd at Wembley Stadium on Saturday evening

Rematch: Groves will fight Froch in front of a sell out crowd at Wembley Stadium on Saturday evening

No go: Groves objected to Fitch's appointment as his refereeing style may benefit Froch (left)

No go: Groves objected to Fitch's appointment as his refereeing style may benefit Froch (left)

Controversial: Referee Howard Foster stopped George Groves (left) in the original bout in November

Controversial: Referee Howard Foster stopped George Groves (left) in the original bout in November

Bad blood: The incident is the latest in a heated build-up between Froch (left) and Groves (right)

Bad blood: The incident is the latest in a heated build-up between Froch (left) and Groves (right)

 

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Having insisted he would not fight Froch a second time if either the referee or the judges were British, he staged his late protest against American Charlie Fitch being the third man in the ring.

Since Froch’s promoter Eddie Hearn had already asked for another US referee, David Reiss, to be replaced, this may have been as much a tit-for-tat reaction as a suspicion that Fitch’s style might help his opponent.

Boxers usually leave the wheeling and dealing to their managers. When Groves dispensed with Adam Booth, who doubled as his trainer, on the November eve of Froch-Groves I, he then had to hire the lesser-known Paddy Fitzpatrick to work his corner.

Fitzpatrick is now established as his trainer but Groves takes care of his own business. But why burden himself with the potentially distracting extra workload?

‘That part’s simple,’ he says. ‘I no longer trust anyone else to look after me and my money.’

So, as if preparing to fight a three-time champion in Froch’s 12th consecutive world title fight is not enough, the 26-year-old Groves took out a British Boxing Board of Control licence to manage himself.

Shortly before his work-out in front of hundreds of fellow Londoners at the Westfield shopping centre on Tuesday, he found time to lodge his complaint about the ref.

Popular: Hundreds of fans turned out at Westfield shopping centre to see Groves get put through his paces

Popular: Hundreds of fans turned out at Westfield shopping centre to see Groves get put through his paces

Raring to go: Groves has predicted he'll knock out Froch in three rounds on Saturday night

Raring to go: Groves has predicted he'll knock out Froch in three rounds on Saturday night

He did so knowing that it might not be possible for a second substitute to be found and flown to London in time to undergo the British board’s stringent medical checks.

By now the IBF, whose world super-middleweight title is at stake along with a WBA belt, could be forgiven for wishing they had not acceded to Groves’s petition for this rematch following Froch’s controversial win first time out.

Groves scorned legal representation at that hearing, paying for his trip to New Jersey and arguing his own case.

He then opposed the use of any British officials, so upset was he with the premature stoppage inflicted by home referee Howard Foster.

Gloves on: Froch's (right) rematch with Groves (left) will take place on Saturday at Wembley Stadium

Gloves on: Froch's (right) rematch with Groves (left) will take place on Saturday at Wembley Stadium

Controversy: There has been bad blood between the pair since Froch was deemed to have beaten Groves in November

Controversy: There has been bad blood between the pair since Froch was deemed to have beaten Groves in November

Again he succeeded, though by laying claim to the position of mandatory title challenger he shot himself in the foot financially. In these circumstances, the IBF stipulate that the defending champion receives up to 85 per cent of the purse.

So while Froch can bank between £5-10million for Saturday night’s work, depending on the size of the pay-per-view audience, Groves is believed to be receiving around £1.5m. He shrugs and says: ‘After I’ve knocked out Carl my big pay-days will come.’

Groves has also vetoed one of the three foreign judges, because he hails from Poland, where Froch’s family have their roots. ‘Can’t be too careful,’ he grins.

All smiles: Groves was in relaxed mood at his public work-out session just four days before his fight with Froch

All smiles: Groves was in relaxed mood at his public work-out session just four days before his fight with Froch

Rejected: Froch's promoter Eddie Hearn has already turned down David Reiss as a possible official for the fight

Rejected: Froch's promoter Eddie Hearn has already turned down David Reiss as a possible official for the fight

Maybe it’s all part of the mind games with which he drove Froch into getting so angry and careless in their first fight that he lunged on to the blow which floored him in the first round.

‘I leave nothing to chance,’ Groves continues. ‘He needs to understand that his destiny is dawning. And while I’m sure he’s good enough to win I won’t allow him to win.’

Statements like that irritated the public too, five months ago. So having predicted, in the idiom of Muhammad Ali, the precise right-hand punch and the moment he would knock Froch down, he compares himself with The Greatest.

‘Ali was very unpopular in America for some time but he became an idol there and worldwide,’ he says.

Do not discount more disputes at the final eyeball to eyeball press conference on Thursday.



 

Froch-Groves II will be televised live on Sky Sports Box Office on Saturday night, at £16.95

 

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What a bore At least Froch has a personality even though he beat my favourite boxer a few years back The Grim Reaper Himself Mr Robin Reid

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Its going to be sad to be remembered not for your fighting skills but for moaning and playing mind games surely I am not the only one totally fed up with mithering George Groves?

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to be fair to groves, he probably just found all the footage he could on fitch and discovered his appalling stoppage of the vera/bondorovas fight, which he made an almighty mess of, then arrogantly refused to back down and use his common sense.

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Jimmy Thimble..because of course i live in Norway...not London..Block EE..sit at home and wish you were there..

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Groves to knock him out! Froch has got nothing left in the tank. enjoy your retirement :). Im going to Wembley carnt wait...........

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Can't stand Groves.

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Unfortunately guys theres nothing carl can do to stop him. You cant stop what you cant see. He's just too slow. Slinging right hook after left hook opens him up to one straight down the pipe.... the one that dropped him last time. Wake up guys and take a good look.... carl aint half as good as he made out to be

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Last time out Groves definitely got in Frochs head with the mind games, don't think its gonna work this time and putting to much effort into winding him up and not fully concentrating on the task ahead. In his own mind he's convinced he's already won based on how things went last time. Gotta feelin Froch will have to much for him this time round, it's impossible for him to fight any worse. Remember when Lennox Lewis got Ko'd by Rahman after he didn't prepare for that fight but the rematch was a very different story, I think the same will apply here. Froch to stop him again but this time it will be conclusive

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George couldn't knock him out despite knocking him down heavily in the first round. Carl won't make the first round mistake again, so he's got no chance of finishing him in 4 rounds. George to get knocked spark out in 7.

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Froch struggles against a boxer with speed who can move. Think about Taylor , Dirrell, Ward, Groves... they made him look the ordinary boxer he is. Fair play to him... great chin and a tough tough guy who'll slug all day. But speed kills and I just think he's in with a bloke whos got his number. If groves boxes him he wins

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