Any boxing fans here ????

[Doyleyburger]

Did anyone get to watch the Froch Groves fight last sat ?
As a huge boxing fan I'd like to hear some reviews on the fight.
Personally I think George Groves showed the world that he is championship material and put himself at the top of the tree, ready to challenge for a world title again.
Perhaps he was unlucky, robbed or cheated out of becoming world champion ????.........maybe

However i think he ended up punching himself out after 7 or so rounds where he was the more clinical man. In the 9th he was starting to miss and froch caught him with a few shots and took his legs away. The ref should have given Groves a bit more time for sure, but I think the writing was on the wall and froch would have finished him anyway later in that round......

Thoughts ???

 

[MarkF]

I used to love it, travelled all over for big fights, but after witnessing one scam decision too many (Matthew Hilton in Las Vegas), I stopped going. It's riddled with corruption and the ranking system is totally convoluted. I believe the Groves v Froch fight was "bought" too, Froch is knocked down and is allowed to carry on staggering like drunk, Groves takes a big hit, looks in nothing like the trouble Froch was, yet it's stopped?

I'll watch the "big" fights but I am not paying 1p to do so.

 

[Beebo]

I listened on Radio, I wont pay extra to watch it live, I have since watched a repeat, Groves did show he's good enough for the big stage. Froch looked to be showing his age.
When Froch was knocked down in R1, and saved by the bell, he was still fresh and was clearly able to carry on. Groves was out on his feet in R9, and IMO wouldnt have made it past round 9 if the ref hadnt stopped the fight.
Groves only realy has himself to blame, he made it too easy for the ref to stop the fight, if he hadnt turned his back on Froch and stumbled into the ref, the ref would have stopped it.
Froch wont want a rematch, he'll probably lose, as age catches up with everyone in the end.

 

[Spoked Wheels]

With a ref decision like that it makes easy to think something is not right with the sport. The ref had different criteria for both fighters and to stop the fight the way he did was nothing short of scandalous.
I don't think it will be easy to get the rematch on. Froch would know his chances are not as good as he previously thought.
I'd love for George to zip Froch's big mouth.

 

[MarkF]

With a ref decision like that it makes easy to think something is not right with the sport. The ref had different criteria for both fighters and to stop the fight the way he did was nothing short of scandalous.

I agree, Groves was under pressure not "in trouble", fights twist & turn, but Froch was behind and it provided an "opportunity", one the ref grabbed all too quickly. Comical that a world title fight can be stopped because the challenger had endured his first bit of pressure. It was bent.

 

[Over The Hill]

Brought up in the Ali/Cooper era and boxing was always a big event. I would always try to follow boxers and make a point of seeing the big fights (on tv).

Of late it is very difficult to see fights (has to be live) as they are never on free TV and I do not watch any other sport so have not got sky.

Also, the whole thing seems a bit of a sham, not perhaps with the decisions but the way fighters pick and choose their opponents have a couple of fights and then retire as soon as they lose one fight. Seems to be lots of bouts with a new guy taking on 40 year old has beens and then having one big fight.

So not really any boxer out there at the moment that I follow. Perhaps I need to read the sports section more.

 

[Ghost Donkey]

I've seen a few fights live within a few hours travelling distance but nothing more. Kids. time and money constraints put a stop to that.

Thought the stoppage was premature at best and it worked out badly for both fighters. Froch may have forced a proper stoppage later in the round as there was still around 1.30 to go. The ref should have at least given Groves the chance to recover. He was still moving, his guard was up and he was defending himself and throwing the odd.. Only his inexperience let him down in how he acted. Now Groves feels aggrieved although I agree with OP that he'd blown himself out a bit by then. Froch was denied the chance to finish the fight more conclusively if the round/fight would have gone that way. The legitimacy of his win is being questioned through no fault of his own. I understand the ref's position but it was still too soon. Kevin Mitchell vs Michael Katsidis was a great example of a good stoppage by a referee. About 10.30 in (video from Frank Warren's YouTube channel so no copyright infringement). Mitchell's Arms dropped, he turned away a bit and the referee was in immediately to protect him.

 

[Doyleyburger]

It's hard to a agree one one specific argument here as both sides have valid points. What I will say is, I think the referee was probably a little early stopping the contest, but it was slowly developing into a toe to toe fight and that's where Carl Froch would have come out on top. Even though Groves was clearly winning the fight on points, if you looked at there faces, Carl barely had a mark on him and Grove's eyes were a bit busted up so clearly Froch's punches were doing more damage than Grove's were at that time in the fight.
Froch is hardly a boxer though, more of a brawler who can take a good wack on the chin which makes him entertaining to watch. George Groves in a fantastic boxer who can really bang and is destined for big things.
I must admit I am a sucker for paying for these paper view events even though there are only a handful of boxers out there who can bring the excitement to the viewer. With mayweather nearing towards the end of his career And David Haye bring forced into retirement, the sport of boxing is looking a bit bleak to say the least

 

[Spoked Wheels]

With mayweather nearing towards the end of his career And David Haye bring forced into retirement, the sport of boxing is looking a bit bleak to say the least

David Haye is a fake IMHO. He either fights a packet or he comes out with excuses. Since Lenox Lewis, we haven't had a heavy weight worth a fiver to watch.

I forgot the new guy, forgot his name but he looks promising

 

[Beebo]

The Froch - Groves rematch is on, but the 85% -15% fight purse does seem a little unfair to me.
If I was Groves I would be cheesed off.

 

[MarkF]

The Froch - Groves rematch is on, but the 85% -15% fight purse does seem a little unfair to me.
If I was Groves I would be cheesed off.

So, shafted twice, what's the odds on a hat trick?

 

[Doyleyburger]

85-15 ......blimey !
Looks like groves just wants to put the record straight and doesn't care about the purse.
Fair play to him

 

[Beebo]

Anyone know how I can watch the Froch v Groves rematch. I dont have Sky anymore, but I do have BT Vision.
Can I buy the match via BT?

 

[Ian A]

It doesn't look like it unfortunately. I looked at NowTV as well as NowTV works on PCs along with the set top box but it looks like the pay per view is not available this way either. Sky box office is available through virgin media as well as Sky. Sky customers can watch sky channels on a PC but I don't know if this can be done for box office if you are not an existing sky customer. It may be possible to create an account without subscribing to one of their packages and just buy a pay per view event if this is offered.

 

[Doyleyburger]

It's going to be a cracker !