George Groves on Froch, Seeing a Sports Psychologist

By Terence Dooley

London’s George Groves (21-3, 16 KOs) has told The Daily Mail that he struggled to come to terms with his two back-to-back losses to Carl Froch and briefly hooked up with a sports psychologist in the aftermath of his second defeat to “The Cobra”.

Groves ran Froch close in November 2013, but he was stopped in the ninth round by referee Howard Foster.  The intervention was seen as premature by many fans, so the two fighters met again at Wembley the following May only for Froch to draw an emphatic line under their rivalry with a stunning eighth-round KO win.

He bounced back with a brace of wins—over Christopher Rebrasse (W12) and Denis Douglin (TKO 7) respectively—but lost a split decision to WBC titlist Badou Jack last month in Las Vegas, the 27-year-old's third world title fight reverse.  Groves has parted company with former trainer Paddy Fitzpatrick and is looking for a new coach, he also told the Mail that he only attended one session with the sports psychologist.

“After other fights I'd lost I could rationalize it by concluding that the judges had screwed me, or I didn't do this or didn't do that,” he said.  “The first Froch fight, I was winning and the referee stopped it for no reason.  But the second time I just got knocked out.

“When I got up I didn't know if I'd been out for a 10th of a second or 10 minutes.  I made a mistake and that aspect of it was hard to get over.”

“Behind my back, a friend arranged for me to see a sports psychologist,” added Groves.  “And did so at the risk of us falling out.  But I appreciated it, because not chewing my wife's ear off about my problems and talking instead to someone new, someone who is a professional, was a good thing.

“It lasted an hour.  She gave me her card at the end but she said, ‘I think you're fine. There's nothing really wrong here’. It was helpful to hear that too.”

Following the Jack defeat, Groves decided to take a time out in order to mull over his next move.  Fitzpatrick gave a few interviews, prompting Groves to call time on their partnership for good.

“After the Badou Jack fight I told him I wanted a break from boxing,” he revealed.  “I said we wouldn't be working together while I decided whether I want to box on or not.  And then a few days later he gave an interview and I found what he said very disappointing.

“He said technically I had no problems, and physically I had no problems.  It was all down to my mental attitude.  Basically the bit that's down to me.  He was saying that I can't cope.

“The fact that I got up off the floor in the first round (following a knockdown), fought for 12 rounds and took it to a split decision, I'd say that shows good mental strength.  I think he was jumping before he was pushed.  We haven't spoken since.”

Groves will now take some time to plan his next move.  A new trainer and a world title will be at the top of his shopping list once he decides what he wants to do next.

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