Coverage: Live on BBC Radio 5live from 21:45 GMT; live text commentary on BBC Sport website, app & mobile devices George Groves has revealed his game plan to beat Carl Froch in forensic detail ahead of their eagerly-anticipated grudge match on Saturday.
Froch, 36, defends his WBA and IBF super-middleweight titles against Groves, 25, at the Manchester Arena. Froch is widely expected to prevail but Groves made plenty of confident noises at a tetchy final news conference. “Carl thinks I’m going to run but he’s wrong, I’m going to come out and meet him in the middle,” said Groves. Addressing Froch in person, Groves continued: “I’m going to win the jab exchanges and I’m going to hit you with two right hands just to let you know I can do it whenever I want. “Second round I’m going to do the same, but hit you with more right hands. “Third round I’m going to push you onto your back foot. You’re going to have to see what’s coming next.” Froch, who has 31 wins from 33 pro fights and will be engaging in his 11th world title fight in a row, is a heavy betting favourite to retain his belts. He gained revenge over Denmark’s Mikkel Kessler in a thrilling rematch in May and the only other man to beat him is American Andre Ward. And Froch sounded supremely confident of putting Groves, a former British and Commonwealth champion who is unbeaten in 19 paid contests, in his place. “He’s had a lot to say and it’s been quite embarrassing and pathetic, to be honest” said Froch. “My experience at top level, my punching power and Groves’s inability to take a punch are the reasons he’s not going to do what he says he’s going to do. “He’s going to run for his life, jab and grab and try to get through it, he’s not going to stand and fight. “I’m really hoping he does have a fight with me because that’s exactly what we want. It will be a big, big mistake, he’s going to get knocked out. “You’re in a world of trouble, you’ll learn some respect. You’re getting annihilated on Saturday night, you know it and everyone knows it. “I can see it in your eyes that you know you’re going to get flattened.” Groves was also involved in a bitter build-up against former Olympic champion James DeGale in 2011, a fight Groves won to secure the Lonsdale Belt. And the underdog believes he also has Froch mentally beaten before they step into the ring. “I’m ready, this is my time. I couldn’t have had a better training camp and I cannot wait for Saturday night, when I will show that this is where I belong. “He says I’m chinny but I’ve never been knocked out, I’m unbeaten. He’s fighting himself psychologically and he’s losing.” Chief support in Manchester is Scott Quigg’s WBA super-bantamweight defence against Argentina’s Diego Silva. – BBC Sport,By Ben Dirs BBC Sport
