Carl Froch says George Groves needs to prove himself against superior opponents before he would consider fighting him. The Londoner marked his return to Matchroom and Sky Sports with a straightforward stoppage of Dario Balmaceda at Wembley on Saturday night and is now preparing for a high-profile fight on the undercard of Froch v Mikkel Kessler on May 25.
Groves has indicated that he's eyeing a headline clash with the IBF super-middleweight champion "sooner rather than later", but Froch played down the speculation after watching Saturday's bout in the Sky Sports studio. He says he would be open to the prospect, but Groves needs a couple of big tests before he can step up to his level.
Froch told Sky Sports: "It would be a big domestic fight, provided he comes through a couple of tests. He needs to step up the level of opposition for people to take him really seriously against people of my level and the people I've been boxing at world level. He needs those fights and Eddie Hearn will deliver them. He's on the best platform with Sky television, the best place for boxing is Sky Sports, it's as simple as that.
"It's a move he's been talking about and it's the best possible career move he could have made. He's going to be given the opportunity now to showcase his talent and let everybody know he means business. He's got a good jab. He sets up the jab well and moves well and his jab is very sharp. Is it world class? We'll have to see if it lands against a world-class opponent!"
