Is Froch trying to play Groves at his own game?

[palooka]

I didn't watch any of it, and probably won't try and find it online.

This is the sort of poo I hate about boxing. I watch boxing to see the fight, witness who is a better man. (And maybe have a few cheeky beers.)

What I don't want to see is a bunch of grown men acting like children, shoving each other and chatting smack about each others breath. Pre-fight banter always bores me. As do ring walks that last forever. Stop effing about, and get on with the fight.

I completely disagree. All of the hype and build up is part of what makes boxing exciting. If you didn't have that it would just be two men that you know nothing about having a fight. You can see that in any city centre on a Saturday night.

Not quite

You will know exactly what needs to be known if you are a fan. Basically how good a fighter they both are, as you would have seen them box many times before. What makes boxing exciting is what goes on inside the ring, between proven fighters to a certain level. The shite outside is just a very small side act

That can reveal an awful lot that is happening in a fighters psyche.

[Happy Slapper]

I didn't watch any of it, and probably won't try and find it online.

This is the sort of poo I hate about boxing. I watch boxing to see the fight, witness who is a better man. (And maybe have a few cheeky beers.)

What I don't want to see is a bunch of grown men acting like children, shoving each other and chatting smack about each others breath. Pre-fight banter always bores me. As do ring walks that last forever. Stop effing about, and get on with the fight.

I completely disagree. All of the hype and build up is part of what makes boxing exciting. If you didn't have that it would just be two men that you know nothing about having a fight. You can see that in any city centre on a Saturday night.

Not quite

You will know exactly what needs to be known if you are a fan. Basically how good a fighter they both are, as you would have seen them box many times before. What makes boxing exciting is what goes on inside the ring, between proven fighters to a certain level. The shite outside is just a very small side act

Agree it is a side act, but it's an important side act, and I like it.

[lillywhite14]

It's entertaining, I agree. Although Froch v Groves isn't. It's embarrassing and cringeworthy. Neither are good talkers and the fact we are talking about a little shove shows just how spicy it aint! There was a time fighters bit each others legs or three bottles at each other and swung punches. Now it's penis pictures on twitter, 'you're gonna cry' and 'you're breath smells'! Embarrassing.

Tyson Fury is more entertaining on his own.

[stujones]

-"I remember over 10 years ago the BBC hyping the new, rejuvenated, Michael Sprott after his first defeat to Williams. Sure he had a nice few wins.... but the opposition, whilst decent, had limitations that could make Sprott look good (Holden, Potter, Reid etc).... when the new look Sprott fought Williams again, he lost."

He was giving Danny a boxing lesson until he was dropped heavily by a cheap shot on the break!

Boxing lesson??? mmm.... not sure I would call it a boxing lesson.... and anyway fight 3, 4 months later.... Williams got jobbed. So much for Sprott being this new, rejuvenated fighter.

[banjo]

Good banter/trash talk requires intelligence and quick wit.

[lillywhite14]

Good banter/trash talk requires intelligence and quick wit.

Which is why the build up to this fight has me reaching for the mute button.

To be fair intelligence isn't required. Ali was never the sharpest tool in the box but he rehearsed...a lot.

[jamesmcdonnell]

I watched the first fight again the other night, and I have to say, that away from the hysteria of the evening, it looked a totally different fight.

Froch was far from taking a pasting, he was firing back from the 2nd round onward, but if you listened to the commentator's, you'd never have believed it - they simply were ignoring almost everything Froch did.

At one point, Groves landed a stiff Jab, carl retalited with four big hooks in combo to the body, and Watt shouts out 'Grrrrrroves is having his own way with Carraaallll herrrrrrrreee' or some such nonsense.

I think the stoppage was a little premature, but Groves head was being snapped back by Carl's shots in a way that his own shots were not doing, and it did look like he was tired and hurt. Carl was getting on top, annd I believe he will do so in the rematch, but with a better start it will be more one sided. Froch inside of 9 rounds, but emphatically this time./

[coneye]

When i was a kid , my trainer always said , NEVER GIVE A MAN A REASON TO GET UP , has a coach i always passed on the same advice , Groves got the first fight, he annoyed Froch enough to put him off his game , and that combined with the fact Froch took him lightly , well it set up the scenario for a less than 100% Froch , going in half heartadly , and we seen the result .

But Froch being the champ , he did what champs do, he dug deep , he turned it around , put the pressure on and was starting to walk through Groves , now some may say the stoppage was early , and they are probably correct ,, BUT ,, it was a correct stoppage , Groves was turning away , he was'nt stood slugging , he got hit with a couple of bombs and turned away , so it was a correct stoppage , maybee a bit premature but correct anyway .

Move on to fight number 2 , Froch is having none of it , Groves is still playing the niggly little smart ass kid , he whispers in Frochs ear , and moans like a little girl whan Froch in effect , tells him to shut the fack up by pushing him ,, then groves carries on he's not profesional , he laid his hands on me bla bla ,

Eveyone has there view , my view is Froch this time round , has a GENUINE dislike for Groves and his bitching , and i think Groves has woke him up , This time round i can see a 100% effort from Carl in the lead up and a determination to KO Groves ,

Groves should of took the rematch, and kept his mouth shut , hoping that Frochs arroance and confidence , would of made him take this fight lightly has well , instead , he's wound him up reminded him he got knocked down , and GAVE HIM A REASON TO GET UP ,

I think the refusing to look at him , ect , is'nt Froch playing mind games , but showing a geuine disdain and lack of respect for Groves , Refusing to get involved in banter except , for a get out of the way type push , is actually , eating in to Groves confidence , more than anything else .

Hows itt gonna play , personaly i think its a easy one to work out , Froch is and more importantly his trainer are not stupid , they know Groves is younger , and dangerous early , but they also know they can stop him , so its gonna be , keep the guard tight , walk him down , make him work , the harder Groves works the quicker he will gas , all the time they will be looking for the counter to take Groves out ,

After round 6 , it will be , start to load up more, force the fight , and impose your will on him, followed by a Ko , This fight is not going the distance , If Groves has any chance , its to stop Carl early , the longer it goes the more he will gas , and get caught with a Bomb ,

Make no mistake , some say Carl looked like a shot fighter last time round , , but with the needle in this fight , Carls guts , chin , and detemination , that he will bring , he has more than enough to win this in style ,

Has to wether or not he has enough to carry on after that at the top level , i doubt it , but the needle is in , Frch has been woken up , and Froch now feels like he has something to prove .

In a nutshell . Groves has out smarted himself , and GAVE HIM A REASON TO GET UP.

In regards to Lee Froch ,, what a total Tosspot ,,, just reminds of a million other , bully boy wanna bee , gangsters ,,, I bet he's known and revered around his area , simply because , he's a big guy , who could probably handle himself , with a world champ brother ,, big fish in a small pond , total attention seeking tosser , still i suppose the locals where he lives admire him and suck up to him .

[stujones]

Coneye,

Some good points - couple of things I would like to counter with though.

1) Didn't Groves give Froch the reason to get up last time...... didn't Froch say he hated him last time.

2) You say Froch wouldn't look at him cos of the complete lack of respect, if Froch doesn't respect Groves then why will he get up.

[coneye]

Coneye,

Some good points - couple of things I would like to counter with though.

1) Didn't Groves give Froch the reason to get up last time...... didn't Froch say he hated him last time.

2) You say Froch wouldn't look at him cos of the complete lack of respect, if Froch doesn't respect Groves then why will he get up.

Stu ,, Obviously its all only, my opinion and we know what there like ,the proverbial , and everyones got one , but regards your point

Num -1 ,,,, I think Froch probably did'nt like him , but did'nt respect him either , which meant he never trained like he should , and was'nt in the correct condition or frame of mind , but after the knock down , he certainly gave Froch a nasty suprise , but Frochs a champ and done what champs do ,, he dug deep

Num-2,,, No doubt Froch dislikes him even more now ,, but he would be stupid , and foolhardy to not give him the respect. he earned after the knockdown , I think Froch probably does'nt like and respect him has a person , but has a fighter , he definetly will not under estimate him , I know i'm gonna have a bet on Froch to win by Ko . I doubt very much if Frochs trainer will allow him to slack off in this preperation either .

Now there you all are , i'm backing Froch , and given my track record ,you should all get money on Groves .

Mind you I did pick Douglas to beat Tyson , that was based on Douglas saying he was'nt scared of Tyson and was gonna hit him back , I remember saying no one had ever fought Tyson and stood there ground , they either moved away from him ,or moved into him . When Tyson dropped him and he got up, i was putting quick money on Buster to stop Tyson earnt a fortune .

Thats my claim to fame has a picker the winner , , don't think i've picked one since

[palooka]

The respect thing is a load of balls. Groves didn't talk Froch up as a British great, if he had then Froch would have loved it and talked Groves up - a mutual appreciation society. Maybe Froch didn't take Groves seriously the first fight though he was adamant that he did and that it would be the end of his world if he lost to Groves.

Groves knows just what to do to rattle Carl; the proof of the pudding is Lee Froch piping up and deflecting attention - Groves didn't say anything all that bad about Froch before the 1st bout, he just didn't put a marketing gloss on Carls' achievements - he wasn't playing 2nd fiddle and that was too much for Froch.

Froch ought to know that Groves is a serious challenge to him, he ought to backtrack on saying Groves was just another domestic level challenge because if he loses the defeat will look even worse.

[coneye]

Its human nature , Given the fact that Froch had been at the absolute top level , beating the top men , and along comes Groves who is a lot younger , not met the same kind of opposition , and Froch had owned him in sparring ,call it lack of respect , call it what you want , but Froch is a cocky arrogant type , who would off, been sure, he had Georges measure , and regardless what he says , its human nature he would of been over confident , and not putting the full effort in , i read somwhere, where Mcraken said his prep was'nt the best .

But we will see , for me , like i said i think Groves has woke up the sleeping Lion , and Carl will be up for this one , I don't think its going past 8 rounds Cal by Ko .

[Ian1973]

All this "Froch didn't take Groves seriously enough" stuff is absolute nonsense. Froch was absolutely desperate to destroy Groves there was no lack of motivation, no not being up for it.

A lot of this talk is because Froch and his camp are trying to excuse the fact that Groves boxed Froch's head off for most of the contest and would've won by stoppage had the knock down come a minute or so earlier.

I used to have a lot of time for Carl Froch but that has gone now, his behaviour and his nastiness does nothing for me. I hope and think that Groves will beat him comfortably second time around, might do Froch some good, might shrink his huge head for five minutes. It isn't even as if Froch is top of the tree anyway, I could understand if he was but Andre Ward clearly proved that he isn't.

[jeej]

I used to have a lot of time for Carl Froch but that has gone now, his behaviour and his nastiness does nothing for me. I hope and think that Groves will beat him comfortably second time around, might do Froch some good, might shrink his huge head for five minutes. It isn't even as if Froch is top of the tree anyway, I could understand if he was but Andre Ward clearly proved that he isn't.

And this is what I was getting at in another thread I started the other week. How Froch has gone from being the brave darling of British boxing to the arrogant guy that has lost his shine with fans. And I likened that to David Haye as well.

Perhaps it's just that you can get away with the attitude when you're a cocky young underdog/or just on your way up. Once you get to the top, people take the attitude in a different manner or something.