BoxRec

big lennox wrote:I thought the stoppage was fair. Those body shots really took it out of him, and the ref saved him from further punishment: you don't recover from body shots like that.

It was two prospects fighting for a possible shot at the British title, so both should have been given every chance to win. Sure Anderson was hurt, but it's bloody boxing, not ballroom dancing. You don't stop a fight at the first sign of trouble. Anderson hadn't been down and he hadn't taken a great deal of punishment. In fact it was him dishing it out for the most part. That fight should not have been stopped. If Groves was gonna finish him then he should of been allowed to do so. It's the ref's job to save a fighter from serious damage/injury, but it's not his job to jump in as soon as one guy gets hurt, not at that level.

Hearing a few comments that Groves must have learnt from the fight. I don't think that is necessarily a given. What he showed was a slack defense and weak temperament (by getting into a scrap even when the plan was not to). Is there anything to show that next time George gets his bell rung he doesn't just go into autopilot, which for him may be to fight fire with fire.

It'll be interesting to see if he really has learned his lesson from the fight. No more accurate yardstick than putting him right back in with Anderson. If he's really capable of learning and therefore on course for greater things then it should be a much easier fight for him second time around. What's the hurry to move him on to the next opponent anyway, he's a young kid, plenty of time.

Watching Groves from ringside I must say he wasn't anywhere near as impressive as he looked on TV- not slagging him, I'm a bit of a fan but I think he looks much better then he actually is. Too many fundamentals seem to be missing.

Not many instances where a stoppage around the halfway mark really warrants a rematch. Vitali vs Lennox would have, but that was an injury. Ruddock vs Tyson maybe, just because he was competitive with someone people folded at the sight of. But Anderson-Groves was way below that stature of fight and, as has been pointed out, was an eliminator, official or otherwise, even though Groves's title was on the line. Anytime two unbeaten fighters meet that early in their careers, it has to be viewed as an eliminator. And, as such, Groves eliminated Anderson.

If giving rematches to those who scored knockdowns against you was a must, Felix Trinidad's career would have been like Groundhog Day. Anderson did well, tested Groves, but he was in trouble himself after six rounds, that's the bottom line. Anderson impressed me and I think he will learn as much as Groves from this fight, but Groves came through it and Anderson didn't, the moment has passed. I very much doubt we will see a rematch, nor do I really think there's much justification for one at this stage.

Blah blah fitness blah blah... if you take the fight get on with it and wasn't Anderson preparing for a fight anyway. Any unbeaten fighter worth his salt should be working out all the time and close to his fighting weight at all times. Give Groves eight weeks knowing he's fighting Anderson and I'm sure he'll raise his game too. Works both ways.

Also, Anderson was through in that last round and getting stopped with or without the ref's intervention.

Groves is a talent, no doubt but he was in big trouble against Anderson and if that knock down had come at the start of the round instead of the end I think he would have been stopped.

I have no doubt whatsoever that if he fought Degale, he would be beaten comprehensively. I just think Degale is a league above in terms of talent and would completely outbox Groves and probably stop him late on. I think Groves tries to fight too much like Haye does in terms of always looking for huge shots. The problem is that Groves does not have great power at the weight and therefore that tactic against somebody as skillful as Degale wouldn't work.

anderson said he wasnt properly fit & felt it after 4 rds & then said the stoppage was premature :!: he was rooling the roost but badly sagged & faded & he couldnt even snap out a punch. he never took alot of punishment but the shot's he took effected him bad to the body were he was really weak.