Groves vs Eubank Jr - WBSS Season I: Super-Middleweight SF1

[Music] oh [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] so [Music] ladies and gentlemen tonight's world boxing super series is about to begin please welcome to the microphone ring announcer david diamanti ladies and gentlemen good evening and welcome to the manchester arena here in the historic and sporting city of manchester england for the world boxing super series featured bout of the evening 12 rounds of boxing scheduled for the ibo and wba super middleweight championships of the world ladies and gentlemen tonight legacies are on the line and history will be made as these two british champions have been on a collision course that has captured the imagination of the boxing world ladies and gentlemen tonight marks the third installment of the world boxing super series semi-finals the eventual champions will be crowned in the summer of 2018 and tonight the journey continues for our two super middleweights in their quest for the greatest prize in boxing named in honor of the greatest name in the history of our sport the muhammad ali trophy hello ladies and gentlemen let the tournament continue as we proudly present the world boxing super series super middleweight semifinals it's time for chris eubank jr versus george groves is [Applause] now entering the arena please welcome the ibo super middleweight champion of the world fighting out of brighton sussex england chris eubank [Applause] [Music] jr in his quarter-final he performed to perfection against avni yilgirim as he booked his place in the world boxing super series semi-final now he is ready to put another eubank name into the boxing history and in an all english encounter he faces the biggest fight of his life george groves is between him and a place in the world boxing super series final i'm the best super middleweight in the world i'm dangerous and i'm going to knock george groves out tonight i want this too much i've been working for this my entire life you can't run you can't hide george i'm coming for you please welcome chris eubank jr [Applause] when the saint goes marching in there is always electricity in the air the 29 year old londoner performed to perfection as he demolished jamie cox in his world boxing super series quarterfinal now a ticket to the final and his boxing legacy is at stake tonight i'm going on with my belt sit back and enjoy it and watch me knock out chris you bang junior please welcome saint george grove manchester are you ready [Applause] ladies and gentlemen at this time i'm going to ask everybody here in the manchester arena to please rise and remove your hats for the national anthem of the united [Applause] [Music] kingdom [Applause] [Applause] ladies and gentlemen from the manchester arena we are set to go with the world boxing super series featured belt of the evening 12 rounds of boxing scheduled for the ibo and wba super middleweight championships of the world it's all being brought to you courtesy of nissan sourland along with highlight event and entertainment modern times group and team sourland this bout is sanctioned under the auspices of the british boxing board of control president and steward in charge is mr charles giles the world boxing association the president roberto mendoza jr supervisor ringside jasper jensen and the international boxing organization president and supervisor ed levine introducing your three judges scoring this contest from ringside all from the united kingdom howard foster stephen gray and marcus mcdonald your timekeeper is peter humphrey and at the sound of the bell your third man in the ring a star referee mr michael alexander and now ladies and gentlemen from the four corners of the world to the four corners of this ring right here in manchester england this is it the time has come the fight starts now [Applause] introducing first the defending world champion fighting out of the red corner he wears black and gold he weighed in at an even 76 kilos his professional record an excellent one 26 victories against only one defeat he has 20 wins coming by way of knockout representing an exceptional family boxing tradition he is the three seed in the world boxing super series and tonight he is making his third defense of his world title he is the former british middleweight champion and the former wba interim middleweight world champion fighting out of brighton sussex england ladies and gentlemen introducing the exciting and explosive reigning defending ibo super middleweight champion of the world chris and his opponent across the ring fighting out of the blue corner he is [Applause] 75.8 kilos his professional record also an excellent one 26 victories against three defeats he has 19 big wins coming my way of knockout he is the tournament top seed and tonight he is making his second defense of his world title he is the former british super middleweight champion ladies and gentlemen experienced and dangerous reigning defending super middleweight wba super champion of the world he is the saint saints [Applause] you both know the rules so let's just have a good clean fire okay most of all remember to defend yourselves at all times all right touch gloves another chapter in the cannon of all british super middleweight classics is about to get underway [Applause] [Music] [Applause] the first super middleweight semifinal in the world boxing super series is on schedule for 12 three minute rounds between the reigning wba super world superman weight champion as george groves making the second defense of his title tonight he wears the black trunks trimmed with red and an impression of the union jack on the seat of his pants the man in the sparkling black trance trimmed with gold is chris eubank jr the ibo champion groves 29 years of age competing in his 31st professional contest tonight chris eubank jr one year younger competing in contest number 28 the soul lost on his record as he takes a stiff left jab from groves coming on a split against billy joe saunders back in his 19th contest in what was his first 12-rounder well not quite the start everyone expected eubank just sitting waiting first minute of this round obviously the first round he's very very important to win the first round the groves have started fairly well fast jab going from the hip and eubank everyone expected to eubank come out on that front foot but he's waiting he's most certainly waiting in there observations were and at this type of distance that this type of territory the lead left hand that george groves just got through with would be a significant weapon the consensus seemed to be for eubank to have success he would have to get up close and crowd with his marauding attacks but at this type of tempo at this type of distance that would play into the hands of the saint george groves who possesses a heavy world-class jab and a potent backhand the one that he used to dump carl frosh onto the seat of his pants in this very arena in the first round of their world title fight yeah kg start i think uh groves has started fairly well and the pace is certainly suiting him working well with his job just waiting for eubank and obviously he's got that good right hand also so at the moment things is going gross his way mainly because the tempo suing him no rehydration clause in the contract of the fighters of the world boxing super series and barry mcguigan has told our ringside reporter gabriel clark that george groves has rehydrated to 13 stone two pounds tonight after weighing in a shade under the super middleweight limit of 168 yesterday naturally the bigger man how significant a factor will that size and perceived superior strength b good lead left hand from you back counter right hand from george groves wasn't fully extended [Applause] just a little bit clumsy on that attempted right across his feet not particularly tidy and now the first up close clinch to conclude that first round [Music] [Music] i yes it's a very decent round from groves like you've said ronald the pace certainly suited him well with his jab a little bit hesitant from eubank corners 10 seconds and for me that's a gross round not a lot of action groves just got the edge there [Applause] [Music] [Applause] well i was watching with keen interest in the red corner just to the right of our commentary position after who would be inside the ropes who would be issuing the instruction and how receptive chris eubank jr would be to that instruction it was christopher livingston eubank his father who was given the instructions inside the ring said turn this into a fight good left hand landed by eubank and when people were talking about the disparity and experience between george groves and chris eubank at this level chris eubank jr responded emphatically and said this isn't about skill this is about will but at this type of tempo at this type of distance it is most certainly going to be about skill can chris eubank jr make it into a contest where will becomes the most significant factor he's backing off and then claims groves around his man rather untidy from eubank to this point in the second round i think he's been on the front foot i think he backed up their role because he might just get caught with it with a shot around the back of the head he dipped down low and grows actually caught him with the shot and that may be just a scrambled his senses just momentarily but it's again it's a better start to the round thing growth positive you can see the confidence he's taken from that first round he's expecting eubank to come over that front foot come for him he hasn't done that maybe this is the plan for you back i don't know but groves is boxing well counter left jab from groves after the attempted lead left hook from eubank two men flailing on the inside once again it's going to be interesting to see who comes out on top in those physical tests of strength the punch numbers through round two groves out landing eubanks three to one according to compubox [Applause] good right hand landed by eubank as he dipped his head down and fired somewhat blind but the punch wasn't too wide of the mark eubank perhaps onto the front foot as much as we've seen him in this contest now he dipped down there as he went in with quick feet sprung back up lead left hook and now he's beginning to unload with the bent arm shots that is such a prominent part of his arsenal groves tucking up in the neutral corner to the left of our commentary position and now ties his man up to prevent him from working just over 30 seconds to go in the second round the busiest burst of punches we've seen from eubank to this point throws back on the jab first signs from eubank though he's going to take the close the fight close to groves but both boxers they're just risking a lot i think eubank is a little bit frustrated on the outside he can't work his way out to actually work her way in to get close enough to groves it's a clever start from groves again and eubank just literally rush grows into that corner they're taking big risks of walking on to that right hand well eubanks corner shouting let's go let's go as he was waiting to launch that right cross before the bell but it never came second round in the book [Music] this is where he actually rushed george and got him in the corner rough stuff tactics shots are going in missing the target but obviously eubank needs that oh i'll tell you what you know that he actually took a shot there right he just touched down should that have been a knockdown michael alexander the referee he was a deep squat exhibited by chris eubank after he rushed in no knockdown was called now remember in the sole loss on chris eubank junior's record he takes him swift left jab then right cross and his counter missed by a country mile it was a relative wild swing from eubank but the sole loss on his record against billy joe saunders saw him do practically nothing too inactive for the first half of the fight allowing that's a good left hook to the body right look over the top and now it's the fire fight big left hook ellen by eubank both men swinging for the fences and groves was he buzzed by that shot from eubank yeah kind a big shot there that went in from eubank you could see confidence in groves up to that stage but eubank he needed that ronald he needed a couple of big shots and he landed he hit the target good left hook and a good right hand closed that gap down quick and landed those solid shots how will george groves respond now this contest has suddenly sprung into life the capacity crowd here at the manchester arena on tenterhook because both of these men possess the power to end it with one shot particularly groves who's demonstrated that punch power throughout his career 67 percent stoppage ratio on his professional ledger [Applause] there is eubank his trainer ronnie davis said that he breaks the hearts of fighters because the flurries that we so often characterize with you back we haven't seen it much to this point in the contest but he said he's capable of throwing those from rounds one to twelve and is there a cut yes there is there's a cut to the right eye of chris eubank jr now how distracting is that going to be the corner are going to have their work cut out chris senegal standing on hand with the swabs with the adrenaline solution krishubak remaining concentrated good two-shot salvo from groves but both men circumspect to this point eubac will be keen to make it back to the round without sustaining further damage to that eye good work again from groves with that jab he's steering um eubank keeping him at distance he knows he's got to get close up to goes but that jab is just too slow and he's delivering it from too far away he's got to get his feet into range not doing it at the moment and this is a better round again i think [Applause] from groves lead right hand was launched in response from eubank after being fed a solid left jab from the wba super champ there's that same shot again it looks a nasty cut as well wrong just the side of the eye the blood running down the face and not into the eye so that's the only good thing from the cop trying a big left hook again he left his feet like floyd patterson did chris eubank junior but he only cut him with a forearm a baleful glare in the direction but it's through a mist of red the right tie is cut chris stanley has got 60 seconds to go to work [Music] small cut well it looks to be a deep jagged cut to the right when i think we heard michael alexander say it's been caused by an accidental head clash here it is right there the heads came together during that exchange [Applause] so into the fourth round then this super middleweight showdown has simmered rather than set a light from the opening bell as many predicted it would particularly those who favored eubank we're speaking with david haye during the week as we see the punches power punches landed through this point in the contest but david haye was witness to many of the dozens of round of rounds of sparring that have been such a topic of discussion in the lead up to this contest and he wouldn't be drawn as to who is going to come out on top the former two-weight world champion eubank trying to get to work with hawks and then bring the most favorite favorite shot of his arsenal the uppercut into play but he didn't find a range with anything but he said who controls the distance is going to be crucial at this type of distance george groves was the governor during sparring when eubank was able to close the distance to mid and short range then he came out on top during those much discussed spas counter shot is a beauty once again from groves i think we've seen a glimpse of this contest has got to be boxed for eubank in the previous round how he got close but he's just waiting too long and again the tempo is suiting george groves he can see the attacks coming i think eubank has got to quicken the feet up close the gat down and really let the shots go but he's waiting far too long and like i said he's getting caught as he's coming forward groves is being able to see these attacks coming and for me i think groves is boxing fairly comfortable well the conclusion of round number two chris eubank sunya said to his son said to his fighter that he is where he wants to be at this type of distance and he said to jun you've got to get close he's motioning forward with his hands now just to the right of our commentary position but eubank almost following his man around the ring as though he's hypnotized cannot close the distance an excellent ring general ship being demonstrated by groves who wasn't too far away with that lead left once again ricky hatton in the background he's practically the man who built this house as a fight factory his seminal victory here against costa zoo one of many magical nights that have taken place in this arena those from the crow rounds i think they're as frustrated as probably chris eubank senior is at the moment with uh christopher he's just waiting too long and not doing a lot really on the outside there's a lead left hook again and eubank follows up with a right cross but groves intelligently ties his mind up and walks him away from the confinement of the corner but as blistering as eubank's hand speed is his feet sometimes don't follow him but he did get through with the left up there groves covering up intelligently remaining composed under fire he did retreat to the ropes and he gets his face itself to the space of center ring once again [Music] okay [Music] slightly better from eubank towards the end of the round heads keep clashing over look you risk the head's clashing like that then you're in so close seconds out round five [Applause] [Music] what's up content [Applause] [Applause] chris eubank jr big lead left hook misses by some distance on the follow-up so does the right hand he bulldoze this man back to the ropes once again and the head's coming close together once more you that knows that he's got to get close knows he's got to get up to his man he just did they're just waiting a little bit too long and the waiting game for me suits grows you can see him groaning confidence that then we're waiting for that explosiveness from chris eubank jr a lot of the time he's just too far out of range ronald he's stalling the attack from too far away can't close that gap that's his problem not falling short with the jab every time got to get closer now the eye again he's you know he's bleeding badly continuing to flow down the side of his face it doesn't appear to be obscuring his vision but that must be a concern remember chris eubank don't have to have complete faith in his corner right hand wasn't too far away but gross is born with a chopping right hand these shots straying around the back of the head chris eubank intimating so to referee michael alexander but for a man who takes total responsibility for his own training for his own preparation before to believe the public pronouncements but he's going to have to put complete trust and faith in his corner now the eye will hold up and he can concentrate on fighting he's got himself in an awful tangle in that neutral corner you can see eubank trying to drag george groves into a dunk fight but he's not finding the quality work on the inside either so you know it's not really going for him at this stage ron and again george groves just waiting on the outside waiting for the attacks to happen just picking his man off really he's got that right hand cocked he fired it once again eubank on the inside and again he's looking to go to work in africa 10-9 come on [Music] well the numbers drew five completed rounds according to the compubox statistics good left hook just backs groves up been a success in that round to me again [Applause] [Applause] schubeck really hasn't got a consistent foothold in this contest so far and remember he was saying george groves isn't as good as he was he said that the defeats against carl frosh have taken something away from his spirit and his ability now he's trying to wage war at close range once again getting to work with his three right hand testing the physical strength of groves who shoved him through the ropes but chris eubank sprang right back into action and lost another attack michael alexander has called time and he's gonna have to take charge of this one [Applause] now just showing his frustration he's gonna start working more wrong with the double jab actually closing that gap down getting to his man the grove's working well with the jab just keeping him at distance that was a question how was you back going to get inside that world-class jab that george gross possesses many people thought he would charges were on the inside remember the winner of this contest will face the winner of next week's semi-final in nuremberg in germany as callum smith will take on jurgen bremer the former long-time wba light heavyweight champion eubank up close and personal with groves once again groves tucking up tightly bobbing and weaving before tying his mana up once more eubank really not finding the range with his own offense though he's a little bit too wild isn't he eubank i mean these tactics crazy really he's obviously not going for points he wants to knock george groves out so he's looking for those single shots big punches closing the gap down where he can't look there big swinging wild left up you've got to be more measured and you've got to go behind some boxing skills before landing that type of shot he's done in the past but as george groves has said this is another level now george groves opined that this would be easier work than his two contests against cal frater he feeds chris eubank a solid left jab and then pirouettes out to the space of center ring he said a contest here against chris eubank jr would be easier work than the two fights against carl froch then his reversal against battery jack and his waist up fin victory over his long-time amateur rival james degale here another mauling marauding attack from chris eubank but it's not effective he's trying to rough his man up on the inside but he's being nullified effectively by george groves listening clever work there from groves just tying eubank junior up on the inside blindside the referee also just holding a little bit well according to the compubox stats through round six george groves throwing fewer punches but he's landing more better accuracy from the reigning wba super champion are you back again trying to muscle his way forward but grows still comfortable under fire huh so some of the action from round number six eubank again unable to close the distance to any significant effect against george groves who is navigating the boxing ring beautifully to completely neutralize who's cutting a somewhat frustrated figure because that is his night in a nutshell being made to miss with his sunday punch [Music] we're into the second half of this world boxing super series super middleweight semi-final george groves making the second defense with his wba world title the one that he won in such emotional fashion defeating fedor chewed enough brahmo lane last summer winning that world title at his fourth attempt coming back from the disappointment of the two reversals against carl froch the split decision loss when he said he got his tactics wrong eubank lunges in with another hook the head's coming dangerously close together once again now remember many people suggest that george groves fades late in fights as he did against value jack when jack started ripping him to the body as he did after having the upper hand in the early hand stage of the game's car frosh before car frosh took control and forced that stoppage at this type of tempo that's eubank got through with a good right hand but at this type of tempo one suspects that george groves would be able to go 20 rounds can eubank do anything to change it he's trying to do so now slightly better work from you back there but again groves controls at that distance gets back to that jab i think for the first half of the contest it's gone the groves away no question but now can he maintain that what can chris yuvan jr do in this second half can he push on close that gap and having a real effect on his opponent up to this stage it's gone groves his way let's get that right good left jab from groves remember it was in the second half of the contest as you back lunges in he landed his own left jab but not before taking a shot from groves so how can he get past that lead left hand he's trying to do so once again but george grove's reversing effectively and again prevents you back from working away with the lead hand by tying it up well i think there might be another cut runway as well this is the blood from the same cut smeared across cushy junior's eye a lot of blood now running down the face are you back launching in with another lead left hook once again tapping the rib cage with his free right hand gross trying to keep his eyebrows out of trouble turning away but the tempo surely has got to be increased here by chris eubank jr because he's following his man around the ring and he's not closing the gap with any consistent success a lead left hook misses by a country mile once more that one did get through george short with the count of that followed up but again it's another winging wild right hand from eubank who is showing some emotion in the ring and he said that he's devoid of emotion when he boxes he's waving his man in trying to engage him but grove's just continuing to control the distance as he likes this hall of famer barry mcguigan former linear heavyweight champion of the world tyson furis so many outstanding boxers from britain and beyond in attendance here tonight prince naseem hamed part of the itv box office broadcast team so is duke mckenzie the former three-weight world champion let's listen into the corners [Music] round [Applause] surely chris eubank has got to come forward with some talk of an adaptive strategy here because what he's trying so far he's patently ineffectual can he quicken the tempo can he test the conditioning and the gas tank of george groves but so far george grove proven to be as good as his word he's controlling this as he likes it's not a thriller he's not a slugfest but he's been boxed on george groves terms and he is very much the governor i think chris yuvan jr knows he's got to up the tempo with the way he's doing it and he's just doing it too wild he's he's not doing it behind any lead hand work with his jab he's not moving into the positions with either a double jab and a right hand he's just swinging away and hoping to to catch groves which clearly hasn't happened happening even when he is on the inside the quality is not quite there look he's nullifying his own work a lot of time michael alexander having his hands full tonight it's a physical encounter when the two men get up close chris done a good job staunching that flow of blood from the eye for now it's always on the verge of leaking once again another big swing and a miss from both flanks from eubank and he flashes a right grin through his gunshield because he knows that look rather crude and amateurish farther to our right calling out that it's short he's got to be short rather that the punches are too long he wants him to be compact eubank trying to bob and weave his way in but again george groves able to see that jab coming and evade it comfortably [Applause] clever display at the moment from just waiting on the outside waiting for the attacks to happen euvong junior not coming forward enough posture in there that it's not enough for me ron he's not really landing anything is he chris evan jr as i say that well it got through with a long left hook but the follow-up was evaded by groves once more i remember one of the hallmarks of chris eubanks boxing and fighting is his terrific engine the fact that he's able to throw clusters he was picked off by a long right cross he shakes his head defiantly in the direction of george groves but it was most certainly a scoring blow he wound up with a big left hook that caught george groves [Music] tremendous shots from both boxes they're on clash of heads again yeah the referee tells them the clash of eggs but big punches from both boxers really going for this tremendous round [Music] [Applause] ten nine quarters [Music] thank you [Music] [Applause] well the contest caught fire in the closing stages of that round and eubank now looking to quicken the tempo with more consistency chasing after his man with the type of intensity we thought we were going to see from the outset now he's bringing his vaulted right uppercut [Music] [Applause] once more this is where george groves wants it this is where he's been able to control the distance with his feet and with his lead left hand and having difficulty trying to fight his way in i think um george goes he's a country mile ahead at the moment but we've just seen signs now that eubank is starting to get close closer maybe george is just just stepping off the gas a little bit feeling the pace maybe who knows in 12 round contests you have the odd round here and there where you just take your foot off the gas but just signs that eubank is starting to get closer to grow starting to be more effective but he's way behind at this stage for schubert junior that's the view that i share from my ringside position here which you remember george grove competing in his 18th scheduled 12 rounder tonight has completed the championship distance on six occasions eubank jr has done so just twice once in the reversal against billy joe saunders and when he hammered away at the perhaps for the accomplished but faded off abram at wembley arena last summer he's got the better level of opposition on his resume so far that was handing it behind me in good stead but eubank launching forward with another marauding attack heads coming together once again brook groves breathing through a slightly open mouth now so too his shoe back he's blinking as that blood beginning to snake down his right cheek once more [Applause] but grows up on his toes doing a good job of disguising any fatigue that he's feeling and the faints are just keeping eubank at bay one two misses you back now up close once again but the work is smothered at close range port square eubank is untidy on the inside eubank straight back into the fray with another haymaker and with his arm tucked beneath with his head tucked beneath the right arm of groves he was blinking furiously because the blood now appears to be appears to be dripping into his eye yeah taking too many risks now eubank he knows that he needs the knockout and that's why he's going flat out for it coming square walking onto shots from groves and the only way i think eubank is going to land on those big shots is if george groves decides to stand and trade when he's hitting and moving back and tying him up on the inside it's difficult to land a clean shot both men continue to punch after the belt the victory is almost freezer [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] michael alexander falling time once [Applause] again [Applause] now the tenth round underway after more stern admonishment what a lead left hook from eubank gross took it well he's back out to the space of centering and crucially eubank not able to follow up yeah and that's a mistake ronda moves a cracking left duck why should he done then he's getting on his bike and get close to him that's what he's got to do he just let him off the hook he actually let him recover remember these guys are so thick within four or five seconds they can't they can be recovered from a punch and that's what happened there it was a good shot from you've actually let groves recover so eubank well he may be entering the stage now as he lands a good left jab but he's counted by the same shot immediately and then grows from the space of centering looking went looking for him with the left jab once again that was a good one too great from groves that was ronald scott eubank in his in his tracks cracking shot well timed eubank just dipped his head low and walked onto that shot and again at range groves is the better boxer for what it's worth i think eubank may well be entering the realm where he needs a stoppage but remember this one the three judges ringside howard foster steve gray and marcus mcdonald the fourth judge if it were a jaw draw on the card of those three we'll keep mcconnen off finland remember somebody will progress through to the world boxing super series final tonight the tournament rules ensure as much with the left hand to the midsection again where's the volume that was so highly anticipated from eubank who's being touched up by groves he's probably weaving under a wide-legged stance and he swings for defenses and his own momentum carries him to the canvas no knockdown eubank's face a crimson mask behind that flow of blood down his left right cheek now he's swinging away desperately on the inside and this is becoming a desperate affair now for chris eubank wiping the blood from his eye the biggest fight of his life and he hasn't produced a performance that many would have anticipated instead it's george groves but eubanks still swinging away pinning groves to the ropes targeting the body targeting the head with the uppercut grows with his whips about him and now he's on the front foot as eubank seems to take a breather and seek refuge on the ropes i think that the most disappointing part of kashubank junior's performance tonight is there's no been no real method in his way there's been no game plan he hasn't gone behind that jab he hasn't really used any boxing skills at all he's just trying to slug it out literally and he's come off second best he said that he wants this far more than george groves but groves is boxing has been stretched but he's ensured this hasn't come down to will shane mcguigan waving his man on sensing that eubank is there for the taking remember eubank putting so much onto these shots and now he's getting touched up in the corner once again the two men fight right up until the belt another untidy three-minute session but no consistent notable success for chris eubank jr [Music] oh [Music] is [Music] [Music] [Applause] for me [Applause] so into the championship rounds then chris eubank but for what it's worth he's trailing on our scorecards here ringside he's going in with a big lead left hook again and nudging right uppercut was landed on the inside and now chris eubank trying to up the intensity he must have a sense of the fighter that this hasn't gone his way so far tonight he's got less than two rounds to turn it around he needs to find the punch of his career here on does uh eubank as i found it up to now and i've seen signs but at this pace we keep saying it it's going throws his same volume go forward volume but it's not happening [Applause] again he drives groves to the road but every time groves feels eubank on his chest and he's back against the ropes he's tied his man up to terrific effect and it's been a contest at this type of tempo there's another good left hook but surely the eubank needs to follow if he hopes to test the chin and conditioning of groves he's trying to do so now wailing away but look how untidy it is eubank smothering his own work getting tied up entwined in a clinch by groves in the corner we know he's dangerous in it close quarters eubank but groves again they're very clever the way just leans on eubank nullifying his work allowing him to to swing away can he find the shot here now groves looking to match him on the inside again eubank pouring the blood away from that damage right eye and eye that was damaged way back in round number three wound up with a big left hand and then walked onto a shot from groves he wins a big right hand of his own catching the shaven headed figure and driving him back to the ropes eubank is desperately tired but he's still swinging for the fences blinking furiously as the blood continues to impair his vision just desperate isn't he now eubank to land the big shot just to find one punch how badly he needs it it's very difficult to hit to got to get him to try to come forward exchanging trade but groves tying his man up again on the inside just seeing that the contest out he knows he's got it in the bag and that's why he's not willing to stand and trade with with eubanks that would be dangerous eubank is incredibly weary he's breathing becoming laboured but he's still coming forward in search of that jackpot punch because surely that's what he needs now closing seconds off the 11th round and look at the desperation on the swings of chris eubank jr [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] i think groves is way ahead there well that's the second semi-final which you can see on itv box office next week but here at the manchester arena in this first semi-final in the super memory division it is george groves who appears to be on the brink of successfully retaining his wba super super midway [Applause] [Music] so we're in the final round of this first semi-final of the world boxing super series chris eubank in the biggest fight of his career hasn't produced the performance that he declared that he would instead he's been george groves [Applause] who has controlled things pretty comfortably throughout he must be leading by a country mile on the scorecards he knows that surely chris eubank and his corner aware of that and that is why eubank is putting everything into these swings plenty of industry but there's not much science behind it and his accuracy has deserted him here but still he remains after his man here's a good right hand downstairs incessantly on the chest of groves grows now fighting off the ropes meeting him well he needs to knock out now doesn't he eubank more blood coming from the eye risking everything he's got to find that one shot he knows that he knows he's behind groves trying to box centrally on the outside but eubank just looking for one punch the punch of his career and he tried it and the internal navigation of george groves able to evade it easily by employing the layback all the talk in the build-up it is george groves and his team who are going to prove right unless eubank can summon the punch to put groves out for the count uppercut got through but the follow-ups didn't gross being put under pressure bobbing and weaving though keeping his wrists about him hands down by sides bobbing and weaving on the ropes before claiming his man closing stages beyond the midpoint of this final round and chris eubank emptying what is an already depleted tank in pursuit of the knockout [Music] it grows a superior experience has proved to be significant to this point in the contest he's proved to be the better ring general eubank pouring it on but again the accuracy not what it needs to be good right uppercut from groves fighting out of the corner grows all of a sudden at a standstill becoming increasingly weary under pressure from eubank he's tagged by a right hook the heads come together gross fighting back flat-footed lands with the right hand of his own he's bringing that percussion to play blood on the lens here at the manchester arena toe-to-toe exchanges in the red corner just above us well great response from eubank needed a great last round [Music] what was an electrifying final three minutes george groves chaired aloft by shane mcguigan chris eubank scales the turnbuckle in his own red corner he's bloodied but he feels that he's done enough not a perspective that we share here from our ringside position but we will now be going to the verdict of the three scoring judges howard foster steve gray and marcus mcdonald the officials were presiding over these this contest and chris eubank came on like a steam train in the 12th and final round but surely surely it's a case of too little too late i think so wrong he needed the knockout didn't he went for it he won the last round give him great credit for his effort in that last round but he should have been showing that type of work earlier on in this contest and cornering groves into areas and into those corners where he could unleash those big big shots but for me it went horribly wrong for krishuban junior tonight he got his tactics wrong early on i think he allowed groves to work to his face it was a clever performance from groves early on we all expected eubank to come over the front foot to come forward but he waited far too long in the first five or six rounds of this contest and i think all the crowd around us are just cheering groves they know who's won this i think groves has won it pretty comfortably but uban gave him credit towards the end but it was too little too late here in this last round he just keeps coming he's got crows in the corner but rose is clever takes the odd shot here and there then he ties him up comes back with his own swings also but it really is a freak for all anything goes here in this type of contest but grows for me he's got home here ronald and eubank he should have been doing this a lot lot earlier but let's give credit to groves he didn't allow him to do that that one was just a whisker away wasn't that shot he needed to find that type of shot earlier but overall a clever performance from groves and they got their tactics right and he's won this well the scores being tabulated david diamante just getting himself into position as we see what was a furious finish in the closing stages of the 12th and final round of this first super middleweight semi-final in the world boxing super series george groves marked up above both eyes chris eubank sustained a really nasty looking injury to his right eye in the third round he was boxing with that impairment from that early stage of the contest he came on strong in the closing stages never more so than in the 12th and final round but i think the insurance that george groves got in the can will see him over the finish line and see him retain the wba super super middleweight title they're the stats through the contest the jab of george groves a significant weapon as many anticipated it would be in controlling the distance yeah very good with the jab but i think it was made easier for the fact that that eubank waited and and he slowed the tempo down himself or was it george grove slowing them but then it just certainly suited groves that sort of pace he could control he's the attack from eubank coming forward very good with his jab you see look at him they're just swinging totally missing there was there was no real oh we're just hearing something above us now soon with a bad shoulder run what was that there yeah george grove sustained a shoulder injury in that final round there was a point where he visibly flexed his shoulder but that is what is being passed on to our the ringside reporter gabriel clark tonight will surely find out in the post fight conversation just how significant that injury is doesn't contain his progress in a tournament if indeed he does get his hand raised as a victim yeah i mean let's see what the judges say but for me i just thought it went horribly wrong for you but i think he got it wrong in so many ways still at first the first six or seven rounds you know i thought groves was clearly winning the rounds there wasn't enough punches landed for me from eubank he knew what he had to do but it was doing it and getting up close and gross just didn't allow him and uh i think we have to give groves and his trainer credit because it was a clever performance ladies and gentlemen after 12 rounds of action here in manchester england we go to the judge's scorecards howard foster 117 to 112. stephen gray 116 to 112. marcus mcdonald 115 to 113. all three for your winner by unanimous decision he is now advancing to the finals of the world boxing super series to compete for the muhammad ali trophy and is now the ibo and wba super middleweight super champion of the [Applause] worlds silent celebrations of satisfaction from george groves after being declared a unanimous point decision winner in this battle of britain for a world super middleweight title chris eubank shrugs his shoulders in resigning fashion sportingly applauding his man he's consigned to his second loss in the professional ranks george groves with a successful second defense of his wba super world super middleweight title and he claims the ibo strap that chris eubank brought into the boxing ring as well and most importantly he progresses through to the final of the world boxing super series to contest the inaugural muhammad ali trophy in the 168 pound super middleweight division a terrific performance by george groves an intelligent display taking it by scores of 117-112 for howard foster 116 112 for steve gray and 115 113 for marcus mcdonald our reporter gabriel clark is in position up in the boxing ring and we'll be able to hand up to him to receive to hear from george groves now let's hand it up to gabriel clark george groves many congratulations still the champion now we'll find a list some up tonight terrific fight for the fans um [Applause] well done for chris eubank he didn't lie when he said he was gonna grit it out tonight um didn't bring the pressure that he promised but i think i was hurting him from the get-go um i dropped him at least once but didn't it didn't count um bit bit dubious there um he was strong inside which we expected um but you know very very happy with performance and just explain you've collected an injury in the last round correct dislocated shoulder well i haven't diagnosed it yet but yeah it feels pretty sore um but i wasn't gonna let anything beat me tonight i've boxed on one with cuts broken jaws everything and here tonight i was going to let any injury get me out it was about who wanted it most i think and i obviously wanted it most was it also about pedigree and experience in terms of the way you were able to dictate the fight at times yeah you know of course it was um the jab was landing correctly all night when he had successes because i did something wrong he was strong he was aggressive um but that was that wasn't enough obviously tonight and just in terms of getting the cut i mean eubank jr was cut pretty early when you saw that do you think it it enabled you to gain a foothold in the fight to even more of an extent do you think also perhaps that uh after that eubank jr was a little bit more wild than you'd have expected no i'd already hurt him before the cut he wasn't dabbing away at the eye so i don't think it was obscuring his vision he was getting more while this fight goes on because he's having no success um fundamentals of boxing so uh the better man won on the night tonight credit to junior for getting through 12 rounds i didn't think he would i hurt him a hell of a lot of times but as i said credit to him he he dug it out and where do you place this in your career this victory tonight well this is you know it's been a long time since i won in front of a big crowd i have great support here tonight domestic world title fight yeah obviously when i've been here before it's getting cold for us i didn't win so it's lovely today to get that justification um we'll see another defense in the world under the under my belt and uh away we go next george groves of any congratulations well done let's have a word now if we can with chris eubank jr chris you saw the scores the card there uh i think you felt you'd won it but do you think the better man won i thought it was close i thought i did enough in the later rounds to win the fight but it was a close fight and um we'll credit to george you know this is uh this is this is all part of boxing you know you've been saying we knew some um hopefully we can get a rematch and i thought it was uh it was enough of a good fight to uh to have another one um i guess i'm out of the tournament now but there's a man called caleb truax he has a super middleweight world title he beat james the girl so maybe me and him can step into the ring and then i'll get that rematch with the winner of this tournament it appears as though george has dislocated his shoulder in the last round the pressure you put on him did that pressure just come too late i thought i pressured him the entire fight i was always coming forward uh i was landing shots i didn't i didn't really get hit clean um he cut me i couldn't see out of my uh my eye for most of the fight but so how much of a factor was that cut from the third round listen a cuts are cut you know you have to deal with it you have to keep going i'm a warrior that's what i do i fight he was on top form did i underestimate a little bit maybe um big strong tough and uh you know i think uh well you said he dislocated his shoulder i don't know if he doesn't go through to the final because of that i don't know if that means that i go through automatically um but if he can get back into shape then uh i think he'd win the tournament but what about george tonight there have been words obviously in the build-up what do you feel about george tonight and the boxer that he showed you that he was yeah he's uh he's got the heart of a true champion you know he did what he had to do uh he stuck in there you know i was catching with a lot of shots and yeah he didn't give up you know so uh we'll credit to him and uh hopefully we can get the rematch on i'm sure the crowd wants to see another one so uh we'll see what happens and what next you you said it would be potentially a defining defeat for the loser but what next for you like i said there's uh there's other world titles out there there's other fighters out there that i can challenge i believe that you know i've proved tonight that i'm uh more than capable of fighting at world level and um you know i'm still still collecting season i'm still coming after i'm still going for people that have the title so you know a courageous performance chris eubank jr thank you very much [Applause] ladies and gentlemen one week from tonight we will be coming to you live from nuremberg germany as callum smith faces off against jurgen bremer as the world boxing super series super middleweight semifinals continues so for ron mcintosh michelle joy phelps my name is david diamante and we're saying good night from manchester england [Music] so [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] so [Music] [Applause] you

Channel: World Boxing Super Series

Views: 1,157,415

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Id: ItPE23u7JLk

Length: 73min 46sec (4426 seconds)

Published: Fri Apr 24 2020