Hearn says Froch-Groves II is “Biggest fight in British boxing history” – but who wins?

03/04/2014 James Slater

As fight fans may have read by now, it has been confirmed how the eagerly anticipated rematch between bitter super-middleweight rivals Carl Froch and George Groves will go ahead at the colossal Wembley Stadium in London. The fight, a return meeting of last November’s controversial thriller won by Froch via 9th-round TKO, is expected to sell over 60,000 tickets on May 31st.

Promoter Eddie Hearn told BBC Sport today that he thinks the fight will surpass all other British fights as far as ticket sales go, and Hearn has called the return “the biggest fight in British boxing history.” Currently, there have been a few fights held in Britain that saw over 50,000 fans attend – the Joe Calzaghe-Mikkel Kessler fight that took place at The Millennium Stadium in Cardiff in 2007 and Ricky Hatton-Juan Lazcano clash that went down at The City of Manchester Stadium in 2008, this fight the current record holder at around 54,000 tickets sold – but Hearn is convinced Froch-Groves II will break all records.

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Froch vs. Groves II Huge Super Middleweight clash set for the summer

02/14/2014 Matchroom Boxing

Carl Froch and George Groves will meet in a rematch of their epic IBF and WBA World Super Middleweight title clash live on Sky Sports Box Office, after terms were agreed this morning.

The proposed scheduled date for one of the most hotly anticipated rematch in British boxing history is May 31, with a host of Britain’s most iconic sporting stadiums in the running to stage the contest.

Froch and Groves lit up the Phones 4u Arena in Manchester in November in their epic first clash, with Groves stunning Froch in the first round with a vicious right hand flooring the champion.

The Cobra beat the count and the pair battled through nine brutal and thrilling rounds before referee Howard Foster stepped in to halt the contest and cap a remarkable turnaround for Froch in one of the greatest fights seen on British soil.

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Froch-Groves agree on rematch on May 31st

07/31/201402/13/2014 Bill Phanco

IBF/WBA super middleweight champion Carl Froch (32-2 23 KO’s) and George Groves (19-1, 15 KO’s) have reached agreement for a rematch that is tentatively scheduled for May 31st at one of the huge outdoor football stadiums in the UK. Froch’s promoter Eddie Hearn wants to place it in a stadium that holds 80,000 and he feels that it’ll be the biggest fight ever in British boxing. Whether that’ll be or not is unknown, but what is known is that the two fighters will be splitting a huge 10 million purse for the fight. Groves’ cut of the purse is anywhere from 15-25 percent.

“The British public are behind this and this was almost the only fight out there for me to reasonably take,” Froch said to Sky Sports. “I’ve given the British public what they wanted for years and years and I won’t stop doing it now.”

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Froch vs. Groves II rematch still possible, says Hearn

02/06/201402/05/2014 Phil Barnett

Promoter Eddie Hearn admits negotiations over a rematch between Carl Froch and George Groves are proving “frustrating” but remains confident the scrap will eventually happen.

Animosity between the two fighters is not helping the process as Groves seeks revenge following his controversial ninth-round defeat by the WBA/IBF super-middleweight champion last year.

Many felt Groves was unfairly stopped by referee Howard Foster after having floored Froch early on and dominated much of the fight. The IBF agreed, ordering a rematch between the British pair, but Hearn confirmed they are still some way from agreeing the clash.

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IBF Orders Froch/Groves Rematch!

01/25/201401/24/2014 Phil Barnett

Carl Froch has been ordered to give domestic rival George Groves a rematch within 90 days or be stripped of his world title by the International Boxing Federation.

Froch claimed on Friday that Groves rejected “a seven-figure sum” for a second chance after their controversial fight in November, which the champion won with a contentious ninth-round stoppage to keep his WBA and IBF belts.

Groves admits he has turned down an offer but is adamant he is as eager as ever to get back into the ring with Froch, and his cause has been helped after the IBF decided the bout was controversial enough to merit an immediate rematch.

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Groves confused by Froch’s press statement

01/24/2014 Jeff Sorby

George Groves (19-1, 15 KO’s) turned down a 7-figure offer for a rematch from IBF/WBA super middleweight champion Carl Froch (32-2, 23 KO’s) after being unsatisfied with the specific requirements written into the contract. Groves is waiting for another offer that is more to his liking.

However, Froch responded to the rejection of the offer by Groves to make a statement saying that Groves has refused the 7-figure offer made to him, and he would be looking to fight former WBC middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. instead.

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Carl Froch says a Vegas fight with Julio Cesar Chavez Junior motivates him more than a Groves return

01/23/2014 James Slater

It seems Carl Froch will not be facing bitter British rival George Groves in a rematch – not in his next fight, anyway. “The Cobra,” who says he has many options, told Sky Sports Ringside that a fight with Mexico’s Julio Cesar Chavez Junior is “closer to being made than a Groves rematch.” Froch also said that the idea of facing Chavez in Las Vegas, where he has never boxed, motivates him hugely.

Under fierce pressure from Groves to grant him a rematch – with many fans also asking for a second slice of the action that ended prematurely back in November – Froch says he is not all that interested in “going over old ground and beating George Groves again.”

Froch said that should he fight twice this year, as he usually does, he will look at facing Groves and Julio Chavez Junior but, “not in that order.”

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Eddie Hearn says Froch-Groves II could sell out an 80,000 arena in UK! (but will it happen?)

01/13/2014 James Slater

Matchroom’s Eddie Hearn spoke with Sky Sports today, on the subject of whether or not we will see a return bout between bitter British rivals Carl Froch and George Groves. Fans everywhere have craved a sequel ever since the November clash between the two super-middleweights thrilled and then ended controversially, with Froch retaining his super-middleweight titles via what was widely viewed as a premature 9th-round TKO.

Hearn says he feels a return will take place:

“I think there’s a great chance,” Hearn told Sky Sports on the possibility of a Froch-Groves II. “I think it comes down to pride and ego at the end of the day, and of course a lot of money. As a fan and a promoter it’s the biggest fight out there. I know we could have this at a huge stadium and have 60, 70, 80,000 people. It was a tremendous fight last time and taking away the controversy, it was one of the best fights I’ve ever seen. A rematch could be even bigger. If I was a betting man I think we are going to get there. I hope we do.”

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Froch showing no interest in Groves rematch

07/31/201412/26/2013 Jeff Sorby

If George Groves (19-1, 15 KO’s) is going to get a rematch against IBF/WBA super middleweight champion Carl Froch (32-2, 23 KO’s), then it’s probably going to take a change of tactics for him to get Froch to start showing interest in giving him a second chance.

Froch says he’s not interested in fighting Groves again because he’s not shown him the proper respect since their controversial fight from last month in Manchester. Froch won that fight by a 9th round stoppage after he hurt Groves with a series of head shots that caused the referee Howard John Foster to step in and halt the fight.

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What’s Next for Carl Froch?

08/01/201412/10/2013 Jacob Roberts

In the aftermath of his controversial 9th round victory over unbeaten George Groves, Carl Froch is left with an array of options. The manner of the stoppage win left many fans with more questions than answers after referee Howard Foster appeared to stop the fight prematurely. Groves protested that he was not that badly hurt and could have recovered, while the Froch camp argues that the referee stole a convincing knockout victory from them. Either way, the ending robbed both fighters of a satisfactory conclusion to the bout.

‘The Cobra’ recently suggested that he would prefer to “move forward” with his career and forget about the quick boxer-puncher whom he defeated in his last fight. Despite many people, his promoter included calling for a rematch, Froch seemingly wants to fight on without ever having to worry about Groves again.

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