What would have been the outcome if the fight was't stopped?

[binipop]

If people watch the last 2 rounds back you can clearly see fatigue setting in with Groves and at the time of the stoppage, he didn't have 3 rounds left in him where as we know Froch did. I completely agree that the stoppage at the time it happened has allowed people to believe Groves was going on to win the fight, but lets be honest he wasnt stopping Froch and even the fair scorecard that had Groves up by 3 going into the 9th was proving he was on course for a points win if nothing else.

People need to stop talking about the stoppage and more about the fact it was a great fight. Groves went up in my estimations massively and spoke really well after the fight, but he would have ended up on his arse for me.

Have you never seen a boxer get a second wind?

As Groves did after the 9th round against Degale, he was more gone against Anderson than he was against Froch and got back on top. People are saying Groves had gassed, he hadn't. He was tired yes, as most fighters would be having fought at that pace throwing full blooded shots for 8 & half rounds, but he was pretty composed in the first minute of the 9th round and was winning it until the onslaught where Carl landed about 4 good, clean shots. George hadn't gone down, and the round, let alone the fight, was still up for grabs.

Let me ask a question to the people who think Carl would "certainly" have stopped Groves: If the ref had just stopped Barker after he went down from that body shot against Geale and not given him a count (inexplicable i know, but then so was Howards Fosters stoppage, and Barker looked way more done) how many of you would have had the opinion "Well he was done anyway, even if he had got up Geale would have finished him". Quite a few i imagine. But Barker finished the round strongly, punching the air and went on to win the fight. Khan v Maidana was a similar situation, if Khan had got stopped how many would have thought it was unjust and that Khan wouldn't have gone on to win anyway. Again quite a few.

This fight had the feel of those kind of nights, Groves has proved his mettle before and imo would have got through the next few rounds, with a few hairy moments admittedly, and been a deserved winner (though we now know he was never going to get it on the cards) George, Carl, and the public were robbed.

[danamba7]

Not seen a mention of Froch's comment after the fight regarding Groves only being 25 and Froch not being able to do that at 25 as just turned pro, basically admitting that Groves is better than him for his age.

Yes other things he said were a little arrogant but i think the reaction has, as usual, been over the top. Froch isn't humble but is honest and says what he thinks whether the public like it or not. He was never going to say the ref shouldn't have stopped it. Groves deserved the ovation but Froch didn't deserve the boos.

[keithmoonhangover]

The fact Froch has acted like a toss piece makes more news.

You act like a toss piece everyday on here, so isn't that double standards?

[mickey1975]

The fact Froch has acted like a toss piece makes more news.

You act like a toss piece everyday on here, so isn't that double standards?

Groove Armada been a nob doesn't make the headlines.

[hurlock]

Even George groves thinks armada is a prrick!!

[RonnieTheSharkClark]

I aint mystic meg but im pretty damn close ;) If the ref never stopped the fight it would have went the distance,with froch getting 10-8 round 9. Then over the next few rounds they get a knockdown each and it would have been on to the score cards for a very bad decided draw IMO ;)

Now the rematch will never happen as Froch will say he has nothing to prove! The sport is disgusting at times :(

[Finn]

funny pic but look where groves hands are and froch is just about to throw another couple of shots there.

[mason123]

What it was is tht groves was nackered and got caught but was still standing and was fine he would have gone on to stop froch

[Tomasino]

What it was is tht groves was nackered and got caught but was still standing and was fine he would have gone on to stop froch

He didn't look fine to me, the ref, Carl Froch, Sky commentary team or the majority of posters who voted in this poll. He was about to be finished off.

[palooka]

funny pic but look where groves hands are and froch is just about to throw another couple of shots there.

Look where Frochs hands are. they are the same level as Groves, Groves would have fought back back.

[Finn]

funny pic but look where groves hands are and froch is just about to throw another couple of shots there.

Look where Frochs hands are. they are the same level as Groves, Groves would have fought back back.

i think you need to go to specsavers mate, the hands are clearly not at the same level.

[DMA1987]

Poll shows over 2/1 in favour of a Froch stoppage. Interesting that.

[mickey1975]

Poll shows over 2/1 in favour of a Froch stoppage. Interesting that.

Interesting maybe, but doesn't mean sh!t.

[keithmoonhangover]

Poll shows over 2/1 in favour of a Froch stoppage. Interesting that.

Interesting maybe, but doesn't mean sh!t.

Ha'way Mickey man, he was gonna knock him out.

[mickey1975]

Poll shows over 2/1 in favour of a Froch stoppage. Interesting that.

Interesting maybe, but doesn't mean sh!t.

Ha'way Mickey man, he was gonna knock him out.

We will never know. Literally.

[keithmoonhangover]

We will never know. Literally.

I thought Groves looked almost finished when it was stopped. His legs were still shaky a minute or so after.

What do you think would have happened?

[vargas]

I think it was an awful stoppage but still voted for Froch by KO. Given what Carl has done to alot of other fighters in a similar position, its hard to see how George would have survived.

My gripe is that he never got the chance to prove if he could. For all we know his powers of recovery might be better than Froch's, and if he had have survived could have come out the next round ended the fight himself.

[palooka]

We will never know. Literally.

I thought Groves looked almost finished when it was stopped. His legs were still shaky a minute or so after.

What do you think would have happened?

Froch didn't know he'd been droped until he was told; Groves would have got through and then the rest of the rounds would have been back and forth; you give Froch so much credit; he'd have knocked Groves out and if he'd not he'd have won every other round; yeah because he did so well the rest of the fight. I wish Foster had been consistent and stopped Froch in the 1st and seen how many more threads would have been here.

Rematch the man who dropped and punched you from pillar to post and is screaming for a rematch or shut it about being an iron chinned warrior who will fight anyone.

Chavez Jnr does not cut it so try it as a PPV and watch the numbers.

[keithmoonhangover]

Froch didn't know he'd been droped until he was told; Groves would have got through and then the rest of the rounds would have been back and forth; you give Froch so much credit; he'd have knocked Groves out and if he'd not he'd have won every other round; yeah because he did so well the rest of the fight. I wish Foster had been consistent and stopped Froch in the 1st and seen how many more threads would have been here.

Rematch the man who dropped and punched you from pillar to post and is screaming for a rematch or shut it about being an iron chinned warrior who will fight anyone.

Chavez Jnr does not cut it so try it as a PPV and watch the numbers.

Groves fought really well for most of the fight, hats off to him. Froch won the odd round and obviously did well in the last. Carl fought a terrible fought for most of it, but he started wating for Groves to throw and countering in the 7th and 8th. It's a twelve round fight though mate in fairness and who know what would have happened. I think Froch would have finished him, you don't.

About Froch knowing he'd been down in the first. That is not uncommon in boxing. It happens.

Groves did well for most of the 9 rounds, but it was Froch that gave him them black eyes and has him hanging on in the 9th.

[palooka]

We'll disagree on this one Keith and I can appreciate where you are coming from though for me Groves hadn't been down and hadn't been hurt as bad as Froch had; the ref let Carl box through those spells and was too squeemish to let Groves show he was a warrior - the ref decided George wasn't as warrior as Carl and it looks like he did that before the bout had started, he ought to have let the man fight to a knockdown - lets be honest, Froch is not Julian Jackson or McClellan or Benn, he weren't going to wreck Groves with one punch - he'd hit him with 60 before that and Groves had hit him with 120. A bad stoppage and I reckon Groves would have surprised us in the last rounds like he did in the first 8.

[keithmoonhangover]

We'll disagree on this one Keith and I can appreciate where you are coming from though for me Groves hadn't been down and hadn't been hurt as bad as Froch had; the ref let Carl box through those spells and was too squeemish to let Groves show he was a warrior - the ref decided George wasn't as warrior as Carl and it looks like he did that before the bout had started, he ought to have let the man fight to a knockdown - lets be honest, Froch is not Julian Jackson or McClellan or Benn, he weren't going to wreck Groves with one punch - he'd hit him with 60 before that and Groves had hit him with 120. A bad stoppage and I reckon Groves would have surprised us in the last rounds like he did in the first 8.

It was a bad stoppage, but Froch didn't stop it. Did you have Groves winning all 8 of the first 8 rounds.

[palooka]

We'll disagree on this one Keith and I can appreciate where you are coming from though for me Groves hadn't been down and hadn't been hurt as bad as Froch had; the ref let Carl box through those spells and was too squeemish to let Groves show he was a warrior - the ref decided George wasn't as warrior as Carl and it looks like he did that before the bout had started, he ought to have let the man fight to a knockdown - lets be honest, Froch is not Julian Jackson or McClellan or Benn, he weren't going to wreck Groves with one punch - he'd hit him with 60 before that and Groves had hit him with 120. A bad stoppage and I reckon Groves would have surprised us in the last rounds like he did in the first 8.

It was a bad stoppage, but Froch didn't stop it. Did you have Groves winning all 8 of the first 8 rounds.

I didn't have him winning them all but any rounds Froch won he squeeked, he didn't stamp himself on the bout or assert himself; Groves really gave it to him and Froch was very unsettled by Groves speed and power; Froch does not back up and look worried unless he is forced and George put it on him.

Groves didn't have to go all out every round for 12, if Froch is allowed to coast then isn't Groves?

I have to say that the bout I watched (bad stoppage and without imagining the last 3 rounds) Groves was the better man, Froch was by far the inferior boxer and was far more troubled.

That's my take on it and I can imagine others would see something else but I honestly thought it was an easy fight to score.

[DMA1987]

Poll shows over 2/1 in favour of a Froch stoppage. Interesting that.

Interesting maybe, but doesn't mean sh!t.

True. Though plenty are acting like Groves won the fight. Interesting that the large majority on here dont think he would have.

[palooka]

Poll shows over 2/1 in favour of a Froch stoppage. Interesting that.

Interesting maybe, but doesn't mean sh!t.

True. Though plenty are acting like Groves won the fight. Interesting that the large majority on here dont think he would have.

I think Groves would have done him and was robbed of the opportunity; lots of posters have seen Froch end strong but who's to say Groves wouldn't have done the same?

Froch is not a machine, he's a 36 year old man who had taken some real hammer, Groves is 11 years younger and trained for a 12 round world title fight; he took more out of Froch than Froch did him, he didn't even wobble or go to the floor!

Honestly, can you imagine the ref in the Hamed v Johnson (or Alicea) bout? We'd have been denied a superstar.

[keithmoonhangover]

I honestly thought it was an easy fight to score.

I had Froch winning three rounds going into the ninth, so on my card, Groves was three points up. If the ref hadn't stopped it, I'm sure Groves goes down or gets a standing eight, then Froch is only a point behind at the end of the ninth. Hell, maybe Froch only won two rounds, that puts Groves three points up at the end of the ninth. With three rounds left, Froch has just hurt Groves badly and historically been very strong in the last few rounds of a fight. Groves is looking more and more tired.

One thing I do know, is that if Groves did survive the ninth, he wasn't that far ahead. Three rounds ahead, maximum.