As one can expect, WBA super world champion George Groves (27-3, 20 KOs) and IBO super middleweight champion Chris Eubank Jr. (26-1, 20 KOs) have a much different take on their past sparring sessions.
In a recent interview, Eubank claimed that he used to really do a job on Groves in their sparring sessions.
“We have sparred multiple times over the years. I would hurt him and he would leave the ring dejected and emotional. I have the footage," Eubank told GQ. “I’m not releasing the footage because I like the fact that people really believe he is going to be too much for me. I like being the underdog. Then, when I beat him, it makes the occasion all the more spectacular. There is no way it can go the distance, I’m going to stop him."
They are now scheduled to settle their differences in the ring. Eubank will get the opportunity to back up his talk, when he faces Groves at the Manchester Arena on February 17th in a semi-final bout within the World Boxing Super Series Tournament.
The winner will move on to the WBSS finale, against the winning of the other semi-final bout between Callum Smith and Juergen Braehmer.
With respect to their sparring sessions, Groves had no idea what Eubank is talking about.
But, Groves also packed in a lot of confidence from those sessions and believes he might chin Eubank very early in the fight.
"We used to spar and I used to steady his legs constantly with right hands and that was way back in the day when I would only throw a few shots around and would move from rope to rope," Groves told IFL TV.
"He (Eubank Jr) had a big full-face head guard on, I'm hitting him with 16oz gloves. He's certainly smaller than Chudinov, he won't be able to walk through my shots, so we will wait and see. He's definitely going to go, could be early."