why all of a sudden is groves the underdog????explain.

uppin.....

A false impression against inferior opposition. Who is this "superior opposition" that Groves has fought? Kenny Anderson at short notice?

No evidence, merely what I stated in that exact post you quoted, if you were Warren, would you put your main prospect in with somebody as supposedly dangerous as Smith? Without insurance? Or the guarantee your money spinner would come out on top??? Really? Frank wouldn't. So no, it's not nonsense, at all. I disagree no-one likes Degale as a person he has A limited fanbase very unmarketable... The guys a jerk but he's blessed with skills. in all fairness to yourself though he does have some potential if managed right and maybe sent over to america they could perhaps build on some good wins and the gold medal and try and make him into a star He's not indispensible , Warren has worked with many greats throughout the years , he knows talent and he believes in Degale. No disrespect fella , but I'll stick with what I said I think your wrong , no proof , too far fetched. I know I only got a measly 30k lol but ill happily bet it all with you on Degale over Groves. Groves is a nice kid but he's got no chin or defence and he's getting either knocked out or TKO'D.

As I said, even Groves' best performances display tell-tale signs. As can be expected for somebody who has fought 12 times, and to be fair the same can be said about DeGale, I'd agree that DeGale at this point is the more polished, and normally the boxer prevails over the fighter, but, not always......

There isn't a gulf in class of opposition. Adamu is maybe Groves' best scalp, but that guy labored with (and arguably should have lost to) Carl Dilks, a guy DeGale blew away. A lot of people would fancy Smith over Anderson in a fight. Looking at what both guys consistently do in the ring is more telling, IMO. As I said, even Groves' best performances display tell-tale signs. Truth. Now, onto Anderson / Smith, that'd be a good'un. I suppose as you say the triangle or quadrilateral theory in this case is irrelevant. Because as much as Adamu is Groves' biggest scalp (name-wise otherwise you could argue Anderson) then Smith would be DeGale's agreed? And I just refuse to acknowledge that Smith fight, he just wasn't himself. Whether or not DeGale just made him look bad, Smith just fought plain - poop.

The answer to why Groves is the underdog is simple. DeGale has improved at a faster rate than Groves. A false impression against inferior opposition.

because degale fights all conservative like, thus = more skillful

Because Degale is clearly the more skilled fighter

I'm just pumped up, should be a great fight and a good night out for me. Good on you, wish I was going. Gonna be having an all dayer though, bbq, load of friends coming round. Good times! Gutted about Clev-Braehmer though.

I'm just pumped up, should be a great fight and a good night out for me.

How do you see DeGale reacting should Groves tag him with a couple of heavy shots? I can't remember seeing his chin being tested as much as Groves could, potentially.... thats what i was about to say, we've seen Groves in trouble and how he responded, he was able to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat, thats a good quality to have. I cant remember seeing de gale hurt badly, how is he going to react? But, more importantly, is Groves going to be able to hurt him in the first place? Cant wait for this fight, i thnk de gale wins a close hard fight, but im hoping Groves proves me wrong.

Groves has fought the better men and for me will be that little bit more battle hardened, Adamu is better than anyone on Degales record and Kenny Anderson was not a mug dont forget he was the reigning Commonwealth gold medalist and undefeated in 11 fights so not a push over for Groves in only his 11th fight. Paul Smith is the only name worth talking about on Degales record and he is on the slide and and really just a middleweight. I will go against the general opinion and predict a 9th round KO for Groves, i have a feeling Degale is not half as confident as he is making out and if things start going wrong i can see him unravelling. Groves punching power and mental strength will be the difference for me.

I mean, Adamu looked pretty bad in edging by Carl Dilks, a guy DeGale blew away. But none of these triangulations really speak much to how this fight will go down. Ofc, the bookmakers' odds have a lot to do with how smoothly DeGale navigated Smith and the life and death manner of Groves' win over Anderson. But if you just look at what each guy does in there, it tells you something. Looking exciting and spectacular had glossed over Groves' flaws to a certain degree, but I think even his best performances have lacked structure and have shown him to be a quite one-dimensional fighter with not the coolest of heads and relatively few wrinkles to his game. In the corner, Adam Booth doesn't have much on-point, practical advice for him; the look of confusion on Groves' face while being berated for "slugging with a slugger" between rounds of his fight with Anderson was quite amusing, although I felt for him in that situation. In his favor, Groves has demonstrated a level of fighting heart that DeGale hasn't needed to show yet. DeGale is more defensively sound, more consistent with the jab, more fleetfooted/smartfooted (yeah, I made up a word), more rounded and a lot more patient and guilesome. And it's hard to see how Groves can beat him style-wise. This is why I favor DeGale clearly. He has some points to prove in certain intangible areas, but he's emerging as a quite crafty fighter with potential to be a reasonable achiever at world level in the future. I think a lot of people want this to be a highly competetive, dramatic, back and forth encounter in the Eubank-Benn mould, but I imagine DeGale controlling Groves and systematically breaking him down for as long as it takes to get him out of there. And that feeling of a predictable, fairly one-sided outcome is why I decided against making the trip down to see it in person. How do you see DeGale reacting should Groves tag him with a couple of heavy shots? I can't remember seeing his chin being tested as much as Groves could, potentially....

Thats nonsense Locke , Smith tried his hardest , what evidence do you have of this? No evidence, merely what I stated in that exact post you quoted, if you were Warren, would you put your main prospect in with somebody as supposedly dangerous as Smith? Without insurance? Or the guarantee your money spinner would come out on top??? Really? Frank wouldn't. So no, it's not nonsense, at all.

Hence the only reason Murray vs Mitchell is only just happening.... It's win win for Warren and whichever fighter he deems the better prospect the morning he wake from his kingsize bed I guarantee you will be the victor (not entirely legitimately). Man is a wheeler dealer, and Smith (I feel) was 'informed' to not under any circumstances win or even make DeGale look bad, Smith, up until that point had never fought so poorly. Thats nonsense Locke , Smith tried his hardest , what evidence do you have of this?

im on about why everyone now thinks degale will win, a year ago, it would have been the otherway round. What has degale done, and groves not done to have such a sway in opinions. 1 weeks a long time in politics, and boxing forums as well. He blew Carl Dilks away and schooled a good fighter in Paul Smith , Degale has skills and looks a class act in the ring. Groves can bang but is chinny as hell , nearly got knocked out by two bums. Thats why degale is favourite

Smith lacked lustre against Quigley and Dodson before that, and DeGale is much better than either. I'm not saying that there isn't a certain timeliness about when these fights get made, but I have doubt in a full-on conspiracy on the level you're suggesting, guys being told to take a dive etc. Promoters will time a matchup and even slant other factors (such as the judging, officiating) in one guy's favor, but they often miscalculate on these things and the guy they planned on getting the win gets stopped. Warren obviously believed strongly that DeGale was a different class to Smith, and he was correct. Even promoters take educated risks sometimes. They have to. Sometimes they even take uneducated risks (see Prescott-Khan, Mitchell-Estrada). Agreed, I wouldn't like to say 'full on conspiracy' but there had to be something going on there below the radar, the fight in Smith was just way to weak. Maybe, just maybe DeGale was good enough to legitimately emphatically beat Smith, and Warren knew it, who knows.

I hate how everyone has jumped on the DeGale bandwagon. Ive said he'll destroy Groves from the start. Same. I also felt DeGale beat Groves in the am's anyway.

I think groves hasnt looked great in a few fights,but they were there for him to try things out and improve,which he has done. He and booth know his weaknesses,have worked on improving them,and made him a better fighter for this fight. Groves has sparred froch AND dirrell,and both said he did alright,had good power,okay speed,was pretty good for movement. Who has degale sparred?how has he improved?. Dilks and smith were not good boxers,they were come right forward fighters,try knock degale out by slugging. Groves will box and fight with a specific gameplan in mind. Degale is understimating groves defence,his power,his skills. Degale's defence isnt great,hes been hit clean enough times by worser than groves,he slaps and paws his shots,he doesnt have much power,and his chin is untested. He last fought some tomato can bum just to "keep sharp",he shoud have fought someone half decent to actually push him to improve and deal with styles that trouble him. Groves may well have sparred Froch, yet Carl is still picking DeGale

I think groves hasnt looked great in a few fights,but they were there for him to try things out and improve,which he has done. He and booth know his weaknesses,have worked on improving them,and made him a better fighter for this fight. Groves has sparred froch AND dirrell,and both said he did alright,had good power,okay speed,was pretty good for movement. Who has degale sparred?how has he improved?. Dilks and smith were not good boxers,they were come right forward fighters,try knock degale out by slugging. Groves will box and fight with a specific gameplan in mind. Degale is understimating groves defence,his power,his skills. Degale's defence isnt great,hes been hit clean enough times by worser than groves,he slaps and paws his shots,he doesnt have much power,and his chin is untested. He last fought some tomato can bum just to "keep sharp",he shoud have fought someone half decent to actually push him to improve and deal with styles that trouble him.