FROCH IS RATTLED/ANNOYED/FRUSTRATED.

[Wrists]

Just watched this.

I think Groves is quite good at this aspect of things and I think someone with a bit less mental strength than Froch would be rattled.

However, Carl just seems to be a hard bastard with total confidence in himself, I think Groves, unless he lands a big right hand early (possibility) is in for a beating here.

Froch KO 5 for me.

[Finch]

Ward bear him with a broken hand.

Froch is tough but mentally you can see when he he troubled.

Ward had an easy night bar the last few rounds.

And that was due to fatigue from Ward.

Froch is no calzaghe. GG Wins.

Your becoming deluded!

Froch is a three time world champion & has competed top level! Calzaghe was padded out lets not forget.
Groves has plenty of ability & can cause a few problems. But to suggest that he's going to win easy is a joke. If groves does pull it off he will be pipping froch

Whenever someone says "x time world champion" I can't help it but my immediate thought is "you have lost your belts how many times?"

[lillywhite14]

Ward had an easy night bar the last few rounds?

So he didnt have an easy night then! nobody has an easy night against Froch. Ward looked very uncomfortable down the stretch in their fight. Far from an easy night.

Anyway, Ward is one if the best in the entire sport right now. Groves ain't anywhere near Ward's level

[rapid2]

None of this matters. When froch connects, groves will fall to pieces.

[Cyclops]

I'm going to get mullered for this. But before I start I'm not saying its the same scale but just the same area.

To me this smacks of Haye Harrison.

Groves has talked himself into the fight from the start. 2 hours after Froch nailed Bute if you would have mentioned Groves' name half of us would have just laughed it off and the rest would have said not for a good few years.

A few cheeky comments from Groves before Kessler II and then a fair amount of absolute rubbish out of his mouth since then and he has talked himself into contention.

There were so many people who couldnt believe Audley had got the fight they believed his madness and just thought there's got to be some truth behind it. And then what happened, Haye just went to sad blokes laid his mortgage on round three and laughed off into the Miami sunshine. Groves knows this as much as anyone cos he outed the whole thing on live tv on the night.

It wont be easy for Froch, Groves will bring more than Mack, but lets be honest if you put Groves in with Mack a few might fancy him to lose.

I think Froch is leading Groves down the path here, not a chance that he doesn't take this as lightly as he is making out. He is letting Groves give himself a chance.

Say what you want about Froch but he prepares very well for a fight and he wont be taking this lightly, I think Groves will be getting stopped and I dont think it will be a shock for him, he already has an idea it might happen.

Good post.

[SNG]

Groves has talked himself into the fight from the start.

Isn't Groves Carl's mandatory?

[handsofstone]

Groves has talked himself into the fight from the start.

Isn't Groves Carl's mandatory?

Yep for the IBF

[palooka]

Groves has said things that have made Froch think; every person and fighter has insecurities and weaknesses, Groves will capitalise on those. Froch did not enjoy the Ringside interview and Groves really started to enjoy it, the remark thet he couldn't wait to face 'the international superstar that is Carl Froch' was excellent. Groves has a lot to gain and Froch has a lot to lose, that in itself adds pressure to Froch. George has his mental number and Froch may act out of sorts in the bout.

[lefty]

Groves has said things that have made Froch think; every person and fighter has insecurities and weaknesses, Groves will capitalise on those. Froch did not enjoy the Ringside interview and Groves really started to enjoy it, the remark thet he couldn't wait to face 'the international superstar that is Carl Froch' was excellent. Groves has a lot to gain and Froch has a lot to lose, that in itself adds pressure to Froch. George has his mental number and Froch may act out of sorts in the bout.

True but then on the switchside it could make Froch go at him like a bull like he did against Bute. Im not sure Groves would be able to stand up to that.

[palooka]

Groves has said things that have made Froch think; every person and fighter has insecurities and weaknesses, Groves will capitalise on those. Froch did not enjoy the Ringside interview and Groves really started to enjoy it, the remark thet he couldn't wait to face 'the international superstar that is Carl Froch' was excellent. Groves has a lot to gain and Froch has a lot to lose, that in itself adds pressure to Froch. George has his mental number and Froch may act out of sorts in the bout.

True but then on the switchside it could make Froch go at him like a bull like he did against Bute. Im not sure Groves would be able to stand up to that.

It may be that Bute is not a great traveller, had he boxed abroad before? There are some boxers who depend upont heir creature comforts too much and they do well at home and get turned over away. After seeing the head to head thing and the link (I think you posted) it looks like Groves is in Frochs' head more than anyone else has been + Carl seems to equate foreign boxers as intrinsically better than British fighters - I think Groves is a British boxer as good as a top international boxer - he is not (with respect) Tony Dodson.

[lefty]

Groves has said things that have made Froch think; every person and fighter has insecurities and weaknesses, Groves will capitalise on those. Froch did not enjoy the Ringside interview and Groves really started to enjoy it, the remark thet he couldn't wait to face 'the international superstar that is Carl Froch' was excellent. Groves has a lot to gain and Froch has a lot to lose, that in itself adds pressure to Froch. George has his mental number and Froch may act out of sorts in the bout.

True but then on the switchside it could make Froch go at him like a bull like he did against Bute. Im not sure Groves would be able to stand up to that.

It may be that Bute is not a great traveller, had he boxed abroad before? There are some boxers who depend upont heir creature comforts too much and they do well at home and get turned over away. After seeing the head to head thing and the link (I think you posted) it looks like Groves is in Frochs' head more than anyone else has been + Carl seems to equate foreign boxers as intrinsically better than British fighters - I think Groves is a British boxer as good as a top international boxer - he is not (with respect) Tony Dodson.

I think Bute had boxed in Romania before against Mendy but he is romainian so that doesnt count for much.

[palooka]

Groves made a good point in the head to head; he said that Carl dines out on the thing that he'll box anyone; he said Carl signed up for the Super Six where he knew who was in it and so knew who he would box. Froch came out of that with 2 losses and no belts; Hearn then got him a home Title shot v Bute and he won and then he beat Kessler.

I know full well that Carl has boxed good fighters and also think that Groves has a good point.

Groves is well on top in the mental game, Froch was a mass of blinks and twitches whenever George made a point or put across his position; he couldn't stand to look at Groves and though he has the better resume he is 11 years older, that's a wedge of time.

[jamesmcdonnell]

I'm sure booth has masterminded much of the mind games, at which he is pretty adept, however, come fight night, talk won't count for a lot. It may take Carl out of his gameplan, and he may fight a little angry which will play into groves hands. However, bear in mind, Carl's own trainer is not a fool, and he will tell Carl what's what, I think it may have some impact on the fight, but I think Carl is too good in almost all departments for grove, and ultimately, will be too tough, too strong, and most of all, too experienced for Groves.

Whatever Groves might say, nobody he has faced before, is even close to Carl's level, and deep down, no matte what he tells himself, he knows it.

Rattled Carl may be, but you don't win fights at press conferences.

[jamesmcdonnell]

Tyson won because he was so much better than them. They were beaten because they knew what he could, and he also did it in the ring. Groves has no such fearsome reputation to back up his words. Tyson walked the walk, and talked the talk. Thus far, Groves has only talked the talk, the men he has beaten would be a snack for Froch.

[lillywhite14]

So you've never seen a fighter perform even better than usual when he the pressure is on?

Lennox Lewis only ever seemed to be on top, top form when there was something niggling him about the opponent and he was fired up. Rahman 2. Not only had Hasim knocked Lennox out in the first one but he arguably got the better of him in a pre-fight scuffle and had Lewis wound right up. What happened in the rematch? Lennox took him to school before taking his head off his shoulders.

Carl being fired up, angry, under pressure and "nervous" cold make him perform even better.

[Baboon]

Whatever Groves might say, nobody he has faced before, is even close to Carl's level, and deep down, no matte what he tells himself, he knows it.

Rattled Carl may be, but you don't win fights at press conferences.

Both valid points that I agree with. In a sense, GG might have been better off playing the respectful card and looking for Froch to take him even a little lightly (which as much as he'd have said he wouldn't - I still think Froch is bound to have seen GG as a lot easier than his recent run of opponents). I guess we'll see, but I don't think a wound up Froch helps GG an awful lot, if anything it may give Froch the fire to perform.

[squared circle]

No, to be irritated is something rather different than being rattled,

Same thing.

It's really not mate.

I am not rattled by your posts on the forum, but....

Q.E.D.

[lillywhite14]

So you've never seen a fighter perform even better than usual when he the pressure is on?

Carl being fired up, angry, under pressure and "nervous" cold make him perform even better.

And it can also make him forget the game plan and lose composure. Remember that Booth has a degree on Psychology and I am 100% sure he has coached Groves on how to get to Carl, it is well documented that Carl had confidence issues through his amateur and early pro career and only continued boxing because of McCracken.

Watch the Ward fight when Carl realises how strong Ward is, he looks like he wants to climb out of the ring. He had the same look on his face that Cleverley had against Kovalev in the corner after the 1st knockdown.

Car'ls mental strength is what will make him lose this fight.

The 'massive international superstar' tag will be ripped to shreds if he loses.

Carl is worried.

Yeah, it may do, and as I said before, it may make him perform even better than usual!

I have seen the Ward fight a few times, never sen him look like he wanted to climb out the ring. In fact, for someone looking to climb out the ring when he first felt Ward's strength he looked bang up for it half hour later when he was still in the ring fighting him and Ward looked like he was counting the clock down to the end of the fight. Make that a 15 rounder and Ward was in trouble ( not relevant though as it wasn't a 15 rounder and they don't exist anymore )

Basically, you have no idea if this perceived "rattling" will have a negative effect on his performance come fight night. Same as I have no idea if it will bring a positive effect ( then again I don't actually think anyone is rattled here, not Froch, nor Groves )

Booths degree means diddly. Why didn't he use it when Haye and himself got completely out thought and out hustled by The Cat, a man who probably doesn't have a GCSE to his name?

[SNG]

Finally getting to watch Ringside, was Carl mandatory before Joe stepped up to fight Hopkins? He surely didn't get mandatory status beating Robin Reid for the British title?

[expe]

Finally getting to watch Ringside, was Carl mandatory before Joe stepped up to fight Hopkins? He surely didn't get mandatory status beating Robin Reid for the British title?

He claims he was, but the Rybacki fight was originally meant to be an eliminator against Denis Inkin, so it's more likely that he was #1 or very high in the ranking. He does seem to confuse #1 with being mandatory challenger at times.

[SNG]

Finally getting to watch Ringside, was Carl mandatory before Joe stepped up to fight Hopkins? He surely didn't get mandatory status beating Robin Reid for the British title?

He claims he was, but the Rybacki fight was originally meant to be an eliminator against Denis Inkin, so it's more likely that he was #1 or very high in the ranking. He does seem to confuse #1 with being mandatory challenger at times.

I didn't think he was, it's so long ago now I don't really remember how it all happened.

[expe]

Finally getting to watch Ringside, was Carl mandatory before Joe stepped up to fight Hopkins? He surely didn't get mandatory status beating Robin Reid for the British title?

Carl was mouthing off a long time before he was even on the world stage.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/boxing/3673602.stm
September 2004, before he even won the British title, Froch was talking about Calzaghe, but Groves isn't allowed to mention him. He then later went on to admit that he'd have to knock Calzaghe out to beat him and Calzaghe always had a great chin.

[rossij8]

Is there a possibility they were both acting?

[lillywhite14]

Is there a possibility they were both acting?

Absolutely.

Remember Haye - Harrison and the alleged bad blood there? After one "head to head" at sky didnt they actually go for lunch together after?

Needle sells fights

[rossij8]

Remember Haye - Harrison and the alleged bad blood there? After one "head to head" at sky didnt they actually go for lunch together after?


Interesting, I didn't realise that

In hindsight, regarding Froch and Groves in the studio, it doesn't seem like it was 100% right

It seemed Froch was trying to be the p!ssed off champion and he was out of his depth with the acting side and didn't know what to do