WBC 168lb mandatory challenger and long time James DeGale rival George Groves, has tipped his old foe to do the business against Andre Dirrell in Boston on Saturday night, saying;
“He’s in with a chance, a real good chance.”
Groves, who holds victories over the Harlesden fighter in both the amateur and paid ranks, told Sky Sports that while he doesn’t think DeGale can get a stoppage “a points win wouldn’t surprise me.”
DeGale is chasing history when he fights Dirrell by attempting to become the first Brit gold medal winning Olympian to go on and win a world title in the paid ranks. The two men will be contesting the IBF strap recently vacated by Carl Froch.
Groves, who was beaten twice on the spin by Froch in his own failed world title bids, said;
“We will see if he can step up to the mark and perform – and I wish him the very best of luck.”
“I think he can do it. He CAN do it if he goes out and performs, if he’s up for it.”
Groves was due to fight Anthony Dirrell for the WBC strap but that plan changed after the man he stepped aside for – Sweden’s Badou Jack – beat Dirrell in a voluntary defence for the American a month ago.
Groves will now face Jack within the next 3 months and should he be 3rd time lucky in his world title bid against “The Ripper” – the rematch with DeGale would be a logical, and money-spinning fight – all the more so should DeGale beat Andre Dirrell at the weekend.
A UK unification superfight would be huge and Groves knows it, saying;
“I’ll have it in a heartbeat. Some people question it and ask when I am going to fight him but because people snap their fingers and tell me to fight on such a date, you’ll earn this much money, these are the terms and conditions – I’m supposed to sign my life away?”
“When they were first talking about the rematch, it was going to be back at the O2 within a short span of time and I don’t need to fulfill other people’s dates because they’ve booked venues.”
“If it’s marketed right, billed right and if the timing’s right, it will be as big as my fight with Froch at Wembley last year because of the history between us.”
Twitter @Undilutedpoison
