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Froch: I’ll stop Groves again

Carl Froch: Confident of stopping Groves again

Carl Froch: Confident of stopping Groves again

Carl Froch has predicted another stoppage defeat of George Groves when the pair meet for a second time at a sold-out Wembley this Saturday.

The Nottingham veteran defended his IBF and WBA super-middleweight belts in controversial fashion in November’s Manchester clash – shaking off a first-round knockdown to record a ninth-round stoppage of Londoner Groves.

Froch, 36, is determined to rubbish suggestions the younger man’s time as world champion is nigh and confident Groves will fail to make it to the final bell once again.

He said: “Gary Ward is here today and he brought Andre Dirrell over and it was a close fight but I dispatched him. I’m convinced George Groves won’t hear the final bell because I know what I need to do and I know how to do it.

“I still can’t believe that I’m going to be walking out in front of 80,000 fans in our national stadium. One of the best in the world. I’ve prepared for this fight like no other before. I’m in unbelievable shape and I’m looking forward to defending my world titles successfully.

“I’m extremely confident and I put that down to my long career, world title fights back to back and the fact I’ve got Mr Rob McCracken MBE in my corner. He’s got bags of experience.

“As a team, we’ve done what we need to do so just enjoy it, because I’m certainly going to.”

Saturday’s bout will Froch’s 12th consecutive world title fight – but despite travelling to America to face divisional kingpin Andre Ward in 2011, ‘The Cobra’ sees this as the most important night of his illustrious career.

He said: “Every fight is equally important but because of the stage of my career, these two world titles and the fact that it’s an immediate return with George Groves, it’s got that air of extra important about it. It’s big.

“It’s by far the biggest fight of my unbelievable career and that’s given me the motivation and apprehension that I need to perform at my best.

“If you’re using the age of 36 as a question about if I can still do it at this level then of course I can still do it at this level. I can do what I did when I was in my 20s. It’s all monitored. Age is really just a number.

“It’s such a massive platform for boxing. This is a massive opportunity to really drive home what I’m about. A lot of hardcore boxing fans know and when I turn up in the shape I’m in now, you’ve seen it time and time again that I can mix it with the elite boxers of the world.”

Froch’s trainer Rob McCracken was equally bullish on his charge’s chances, adding: “It’s going to be a great fight as you all know. Every fight Carl Froch is involved in is a great fight. He’s been involved in title fights across the world. He’s taken on everybody and his career has been remarkable.

“After the last fight, we had a chat to see where we’re at, where his motivation was. Was Groves very good or were you very poor? He said let’s find out on May 31, so we’ve gone into camp and worked very hard.

“He looks great and he looks exactly where I hoped he’d be, which is an elite level fighter. He’s motivated. His sparring and training have been great and he’ll definitely deliver as he always does.”

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