Froch: Groves Beating Dirrell in America is Very Tough

By Edward Chaykovsky

IBF/WBA 'regular' super middleweight champion Carl Froch feels George Groves (21-2, 16KOs) needs a few more fights before taking on WBC super middleweight champion Anthony Dirrell (27-0-1, 22KOs). Groves, who holds the WBC Silver and EBU titles, is the mandatory challenger to Dirrell.

Groves suffered back to back knockout defeats to Froch. He came back to win two in a row and in doing so secured the mandatory sport with Dirrell, who has the option to make a voluntary defense before facing Groves.

He says Groves will have a very tough time in pulling off a win over Dirrell if the fight takes place in the United States. Dirrell has already stated that he refuses to travel over to the UK to face Groves. More than likely the fight will head off to a purse bid and Groves' promoter, Sauerland Event, have very deep pockets.

"George Groves needs to build himself a bit. I think he needs a couple of more fights and a bit of time off. I know he's having a bit of time off now. I think he needs that. He's talking about fighting Anthony Dirrell for the WBC. He's the mandatory so there is no reason that fight shouldn't get made or shouldn't happen," Froch told Sky Sports.

"Sauerland [who promote Groves] is a German outfit but they are quite powerful. Dirrell is American. If George Groves wants to follow that WBC title dream, he's going to have to travel to America and I think it's a very, very tough act for him to go over there and beat somebody like Anthony Dirrell. I'm basing that on his current form."