Froch's Warning: I'm Going To Punish George Groves

By Edward Chaykovsky

IBF/WBA 'regular' super middleweight champion Carl Froch (31-2, 22KOs) has promised to punish his mandatory challenger, stablemate George Groves (19-0, 15KOs). Their promoter Eddie Hearn is looking to put the fight together and the International Boxing Federation ordered the two of them to face each other. Froch feels disrespected by some of Groves' comments in the press. Some of those comments have grabbed Froch's attention, and not in a good way. Froch plans to punish Groves and make him regret his decision to pursue their fight.

Froch told Talk Sports' Fight Club: “When I first heard about the fight, I didn’t think it was big enough. I didn’t think he was a good enough opponent or a big enough name to give me a challenge that people would take seriously. He’s not really mixed with anyone of my calibre. You can’t say he’s ready for me on paper but that doesn’t write him off in reality. I’m taking him seriously. The fight has got a lot of attention."

“But he’s not showing me enough respect for what I’ve done. He’s talking about me believing my hype, when he should be showing me some respect. If he wants to be a bit cheeky and aloof it’s my job to punish him and that’s what I’ll do. I will make sure I’m prepared 100%, like I always am. I’m looking forward to giving Groves a bit of a pasting. He wants this fight, he’s going to get it, and he’s probably going to wish on the Sunday morning [after it] that he hadn’t.”