BoxRec

I'm not trying to look for a conspiracy and can't really knock the stoppage, Groves was in a bad place.
But could the ref have given a count?

Groves went down heavy and looked almost completely out when he hit the canvas.
He also looked on shaky legs when he got up.

But a couple things struck me.
In real time, Groves actually started trying to get up after about 4 seconds.
Even with the ref over the top of him, he still got on his feet before an eight count would have been completed.
He looked very wobbly when he got up, but we never saw much of groves on his feet to truely guage his condition as he was swiftly forced into a seat and an oxygen mask onto his face.
And little more than a minute later he was over talking to froch and seemed to have his senses about him.

I'm maybe underplaying how much trouble George was in, but there's just part of me, watching the replays, wondering if he could have managed to carry on if given the chance.
I've seen guys knocked down heavy, look completely out and given the chance to get up and i've also seen guys like khan or maccaranelli look like bambi on ice when they do get back to their feet and allowed to carry on.
Was Groves any worse last night.

It's probably telling that there was no complaints from George.
But I can't help but wonder.

By the time Groves was on his feet, he was in the same "state" Froch was when he climbed back up in the first fight. The difference was Froch didn't look like a car crash victim on his back, Groves was completely folded on the canvas, the ref had to call the doctor in at that point.

He was wobbling even after he did get on his feet.

People dislike Froch so much that they're looking for every possible angle to discredit the victory... whether it be a fluke shot, the ref could of counted, etc, etc.

Groves himself said it was a good stoppage when interviewed after the fight. You can't say any more than that.

At first I thought he'd ballsed it up, especially when Groves started getting up but that's cos I was biased. Groves looked wobbly 5 minutes after it happened.

Groves has just said on SSN that he was out for about 3 seconds, but yeah the ref should have counted and pushed him out to take more punishment while not knowing what day it was.

columbo wrote:People dislike Froch so much that they're looking for every possible angle to discredit the victory... whether it be a fluke shot, the ref could of counted, etc, etc.

The voice of reason

I think when a fighter drops like that the referee is entitled to do what he sees fit, even if they get up. His leg was trapped under his body. I'm glad the ref stopped it cos some idiots - such as that chap who let Enzo Mac fight on a couple of years ago - would have let it go on. Then we'd have had a hurt George Groves and Froch's missus going hysterical no doubt.

Give over.

Could have counted but id be surprised if it meant anything else but bad news for groves.

He should have been given a count and been waved off when he was back up.

He was only capable of getting up after the ref pulled his leg out which was trapped behind him. In fact Groves was lucky not to have put his knee out.

Horse wrote:He should have been given a count and been waved off when he was back up.

No need for a count, Groves was a crumpled floundering heap.

ttornado wrote:No need for a count, Groves was a crumpled floundering heap.

But he got up, so there was no reason not to count.

Tbh it happened so fast I thought. Where's the count? but when he got up he was all at sea. Still groggy when he tried to stand up out of his corner too. The ref got it spot on.

Horse wrote:But he got up, so there was no reason not to count.

He didn't know he was going to get up when he called the fight off.
Hindsight is brilliant.

With the benefit of hindsight, yes Groves did manage to get up so it's easy to say the ref should have counted. But my immediate reaction at the time was the ref made the correct decision in calling it off, so I'm certainly not going to criticise.

Too many people become wise after the event imo, but all the signs at the time pointed to Groves being very badly hurt, so the ref did the right thing.

ttornado wrote:He didn't know he was going to get up when he called the fight off.
Hindsight is brilliant.

No, he didn't know, so he should have kept counting.

Horse wrote:But he got up, so there was no reason not to count.

Also didn't the ref pull Groves leg straight.
So the fight had to be called as Groves had been aided.

G0mez wrote:Give over.

Great one

Viktor Vaughn wrote:One or two posters are trolling, the others think boxing's played under the same rules they used in Rome in Christians Vs Lions match-ups.

?

Seriously? Is the thread a joke? He went down so hard and almost blew his knee out. What would be the point of a count??

Viktor Vaughn wrote:One or two posters are trolling, the others think boxing's played under the same rules they used in Rome in Christians Vs Lions match-ups.

No one is trolling.

Some people disagree with you, accept it.

This thread summarises why the standard of the forum has gone down the tubes of late.