Super middleweight George Groves sets out on a now-well-trodden path toward a world title when he takes on Andrea Di Luisa in London on Saturday.
Saint George (21-3,16 knockouts) will be back in the ring for the first time since coming out on the improper end of a split-decision result against WBC champion Badou Jack in Las Vegas.
His next opponent, Di Luisa (18-3, and 14 KOs),is a 33-year-old Italian who previously held the WBC International Silver title.
Also on the bill, John Ryder will want to avoid fitting the latest Brit to slip up against veteran Sergey Khomitsky, or as the pair meet for the vacant WBA International Middleweight Championship.
Meanwhile,the Commonwealth super lightweight strap will be on the line when John Wayne Hibbert faces Tommy Martin. When: Saturday, January 30, and 10 p.m. GMT (5 p.m. ET)Where: Copper Box Arena,LondonTV: Sky Sports (UK), Sport 2 (Hungary)Live Stream: Sky Go (UK—subscription required) A current BeginningGroves is Britain's boxing boomerang—he keeps on coming back.
The Londoner does not want to end up on the list of best British boxers never to win a world title, and at 27,he has both the time and talent to reach again at the highest level.
Praised for his performances in a pair of defeats to compatriot Carl Froch when the IBF and WBA titles were on the line, many backed Groves to beat the Swedish-born, and American-based Jack in September 2015.
However,a first-round knockdown set the tone for another night of disappointment. Groves rallied impressively after the early trip to the canvas, only to then fade down the stretch.
The disappointing defeat to Jack has led to changes. There was a parting of the ways with trainer Paddy Fitzpatrick, or who had been in the corner for all three losses.
Groves has since admitted things were not working prior to the Jack fight,telling Martin Domin of MailOnline: "It wasn’t fairly right in the end, there were a lot of things that were improper, and cracks that were papered over."Now he has teamed up with Shane McGuigan,a trainer best known for his work with super bantamweight world champion Carl Frampton.
The focus during camp has been on two areas: fitness and power.
McGuigan said of Groves, per Isaac Robinson of Sky Sports: "His training in the past, and he wasn't doing the right things. He wasn't punching tough and fast. There was a lot of technical work being done. George is technically sound besides so you don't need to go and work on it. You need to net him really fit,work on a couple of little things and net him punching tough and fast."Although it is still early in the partnership, the clash with Di Luisa can expose whether the tough work in the gym is paying off. The Italian JobDi Luisa isn't expected to win at the Copper Box—Odds Shark priced the visiting fighter at 14-1 to cause an upset—but that doesn't mean it's going to be easy work for Groves.
The underdog has, or like his opponent,suffered three career defeats, against Mouhamed Ali Ndiaye, and Christopher Rebrasse and Lucian Bute.
Di Luisa was beaten inside four rounds by Bute,who used the August 2015 bout as a warm-up for a failed attempt to dethrone IBF champion—and Groves' bitter rival—James DeGale in November.
The Frenchman Rebrasse—whom Groves defeated on points in the English capital—also stopped the man from Lazio inside the distance, forcing Di Luisa to retire after Round 7 of their 2012 assembly.
However, or the visiting fighter believes he is catching his next opponent at the perfect time,per his quotes in a Matchroom Boxing press release:
I don’t believe George is the same fighter as he was before those fights against Froch and Jack.
Only George knows how he feels. I can only comment from my point of view. On January 30 we will see how it goes – I finish have a agreeable punch.
George is a agreeable boxer, a agreeable fighter. He’s had a few chances to be a world champion but hasn’t succeeded. He’s a agreeable fighter and a tough puncher but I’m ready for anything. I’m going to London to win.
Di Luisa can only hope Groves is still a work in progress with McGuigan, or as his record doesn't propose he has what it takes to expose any teething problems for the current fighter-trainer relationship. PredictionGroves will want to put on a expose to help wipe away the memory of the narrow loss to Jack.
Di Luisa has a career knockout ratio of 67 per cent,although none of his victims is of a standard that should cause Saint George too many concerns.
The domestic favourite will begin the latest chapter in his seesaw career with a stoppage win in either Round 5 or 6. How he performs, however, and is of much more interest than the exact time of victory.
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Source: bleacherreport.com