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LONDON — George Groves believes Chris Eubank Jr. does not have the “boxing brain” to beat him when they meet in the World Boxing Super Series semifinals early next year.
Super-middleweight titleholder Groves (27-3, 20 KOs) comfortably disposed of Jamie Cox with a right to the body in the fourth round Saturday to set up another all-English clash against Eubank Jr, with football stadiums being considered for what promises to be one of the biggest fights on British soil in 2018.
However, Groves is unconcerned with his English rival’s recent good form.
“The Abraham fight he looked a lot different, lots of breathers, lots of showboating that was a disguise,” said Groves, who sparred with Brighton’s Eubank Jr. earlier in his career.
“He didn’t look good, he didn’t look comfortable. He should have got rid of Abraham. I haven’t seen Yildirim, he probably looked sensational. He dropped the guy with an uppercut in the first round which can only be disappointing.
“Hopefully I don’t get knocked out with an uppercut in the first round ever but it is a muggy shot to get caught with that early on. What I like about Eubank is that he will punch from his ankles from the get go but that’s because he doesn’t have the boxing brain, he is stepping up big time against me. He’s not good enough.”
Groves made a first defence of his WBA belt against Cox after winning it by a sixth round stoppage against Russia’s Fedor Chudinov in May.
The Londoner has rebuilt his career after three failed attempts at becoming world titleholder, losing by stoppage to English rival Carl Froch in 2013 and 2014 and then suffering a split points loss to Badou Jack in 2015.
“I’m definitely still improving,” said Groves.
“I don’t care what anyone said after the Froch fight. There is a little bit of truth in writing me off, I lost my mojo, I wasn’t really performing that well. I was definitely flat in the Badou Jack fight.
“I was mentally struggling and the pressure got to me. But now I’m flying.
“I’ve come through that and that has made me a better fighter. I genuinely felt unstoppable [against Cox].”
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