George Groves - "I want Andre Ward in 18 months"

[shaunundisputed]

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‘SAINT’ GEORGE GROVES 13-0 (10) has stated that his world title dream is on course as he sets his sights on meeting the ‘best fighter’ in the super-middleweight division in Andre Ward.


The new British super-middleweight champion
Groves, who won the British title against bitter rival James DeGale back in May, exclusively told UNDISPUTED that:

- He is aiming to reach the world stage and face Ward in 18 months.
– He wants his rival DeGale to keep winning to keep a rematch further down the line interesting.
– He is aiming for an October return to defend his British title in London.

Despite his Harlesden rival going for the European title, his sights firmly remain on a world championship belt, “The world title is the big goal, Adam (Booth) and I are looking at a few things which will take us to that stage within 18 months.

I am aiming to be in the position to take on one of the world’s best like Andre Ward. He is the best in the division. He is where I want to be. I believe he is one of the best pound for pound fighters at the moment. I know I need to improve but that is what I will be doing until that time.”

Carl Froch faces the undefeated American in three months time and Groves is rooting for his fellow Brit to overcome his toughest fight yet, “I want Froch to win, he is a very nice guy and someone who I have got to know over the last couple of years. He has the capabilities to do it but it will be the toughest test of his career so far. It is a huge fight, they are the top two in the division. Lucian Bute is then just behind. I hope Froch can do it.”

The British and Commonwealth champion has even backed his old enemy DeGale to win his European championship bout, “I would like him to win that. I wasn’t surprised he got that fight, I heard a few rumours before even our fight about it. His promotion side are very strong, to the extent that a loss didn’t affect it. I think there has been a rule change in the last couple of months where someone on the back of a loss can now challenge for the title. I hope he wins it. That wasn’t the last time we will fight, he needs to keep winning to keep it interesting.”

When talking about the next time he will take to the ring Groves pinpointed a British title defence in October in London, “I am aiming for an October return, where I will make a defence of the British belt. There are a few people we are looking at, I don’t want to say any names at the moment but there are only a handful of fighters that would be right for it. I would like to keep raising my profile in Britain, I want to give my fans some exciting fights also.

After that I may be looking to head over to the U.S for training and even for a couple of fights. I want to keep improving and I would like to raise my profile over there. I have fought there once before and have had two fights fall through.”


Groves with his British and Commonwealth belts
After a well-deserved break after his biggest win to date Groves has started training again in preparation for the next chapter of his career, “I am back in the gym I have just been concentrating on strengthening my core muscles, the sparring comes later down the line.”

During his time out of the ring, Groves has dipped into the media side of things writing his own blog for Sky Sports during the Haye Vs Klitschko pre-fight build up, “It’s been different, it is a lot of fun. I try not to offend though (laughs). Nah, but it is good to show my personality to people. I am not a moody person I am always smiling and enjoying myself. In the build up to the DeGale fight photographers were telling me to look serious but that’s not me. I am just a normal guy and I hope I can stick with the blogging.”

Regarding his friend Haye when asked if there was any news on the former world champion’s future he said he knew as much as the public, “I haven’t really spoken to him, he has been on holiday. I am not too sure what he will do, if he sticks to his retirement date there isn’t much time left. He has been a great fighter for Britain and when he does hang up his gloves he will be sorely missed.”

Groves’ fans will be pleased to know that his next fight won’t be too far away and that it could mark the first step for the undefeated 23-year-old in his quest for world glory.

Greg Grimes

Twitter: @ggrimes10

[twenty six]

When exactly do we get the big news - there was a thread on this a few weeks back - from George Groves ?

[IRLangmaid25]

I am expecting that at some point George Groves will fight James DeGale at some point in the foreseeable future with potentially bigger stakes on the line than the British and Commonwealth straps, and if he does a world title shot against either Lucian Bute or Carl Froch down the line, they will both eat him alive, they are more experienced than Groves and are far bigger punchers than Groves is and would make an utter mess of him.

[Camcas]

He will be fighting Anderson again probably

[charlieb]

Is this working under the assumption that Ward beats Froch?

If this was coming from one of Wazza's fighters, I'd immediately assume it was an attention-scrounging decoy and dismiss it as such.

If Booth's really set on leading Groves down the same path Haye walked at cruiser, then that's quite admirable, prone to absolute disaster, but admirable nonetheless.

18 months, that could mean 3, but probably 2 more opponents. You don't go from Degale and Anderson to Ward without those 2 fights being against at least one of the top boys.

I could quite easily see the likes of Miranda or Green being the first and someone like Stieglitz or Abraham being the precursor to Ward.