Groves: I’ll bounce back and be champion

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An emotional George Groves insisted he would be bounce back from his controversial stoppage against Carl Froch and become a world champion.

Hammersmith’s previously unbeaten super-middleweight was on the verge of glory after flooring the notoriously durable Froch in the first round.

He continued to have the upper hand only for referee Howard Foster to step in and stop the contest as Froch attacked a flagging Groves in round nine.

It meant Froch retained his WBA and IBF belts and Groves, booed into the ring after his outspoken pre-fight comments, was cheered by the 20,000 crowd in Manchester who felt he was on his way to victory when Foster intervened.

“I beat him with my hand speed and I beat him with a lot of other things as well,” said Groves.

“Froch is a tough man. I knew that. I knocked him down in the first round and knew the job wasn’t done, but I knew that with each round I beat him he would get more and more reckless.

“That’s what he was in that ninth round – he was reckless. He was coming in with shift-arm shots that, if they land they can buzz you and if they don’t land they can scuff you and knock you off balance.

“I knew I was fine. I had three or four rounds left if need be to just carry on controlling and dominating Carl Froch and I’d be sitting here with two [world championship] belts.”

The Groves camp want an immediate rematch and Eddie Hearn, who promotes both fighters, has suggested the pair will lock horns again.

And the 25-year-old, an underdog going into the fight, believes he proved he belongs at world level.

Groves said: “Carl before this fight said it had come too early for me and that a lot of people said that as well. Do I belong at this level? I think I answered that question.

“Name any opponent and say ‘This is your next fight’ and I’ll take it. I’ll fight anyone. I know I’m ready to.

“I’ll make adjustments – I always do – and I’ll be back fitter, stronger and better.

“There’s a few things I feel aggrieved about right now, but I’ll get back in the gym and I’ll come back and be world champion.”

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