Groves ready for Ali Trophy final
George Groves retained his WBA World title and earned a unanimous points verdict to move into the final of the inaugural super middleweight edition of the World Boxing Super Series.
The judges scored it 117-112, 116-112 and 115-113 all in favour ‘The Saint’.
“The better man won on the night,” said Groves. “Credit to Junior for getting through 12 rounds, I didn’t think he would. Chris didn’t lie when he said he was going to grit it out. That was a terrific fight for the fans.”
A cut above Jr’s right eye in the third round hampered the 28-year-old.
“I couldn’t see out of my right eye for most of the fight but a cut’s a cut and you have to deal with it,” said Eubank Jr.
“George has got the heart of a true champion and did what he had to do. I thought I did enough in the later rounds to win it. But hopefully, we’ll get the rematch on.”
After the fight Groves was taken to hospital to get an examination of a suspected dislocated shoulder which he fought within the last and most dramatic of the 12 rounds.
“My shoulder feels pretty sore but I wasn’t going to let anything beat me tonight.”
Next week semi-final in Nuremberg will decide whether Groves faces England’s Callum Smith or Jurgen Brahmer of Germany in the final.
