Former world champion George Groves isn’t shy about the place he thinks he stands with regards to at the moment’s greatest names in boxing—together with Terence Crawford. The retired British fighter just lately claimed he would have knocked Crawford out if the 2 had ever met within the ring.
Groves, now 37, constructed his profession as a pointy, highly effective tremendous middleweight. From 2017 to 2018, he held the WBA tremendous middleweight belt, racking up an expert report of 28 wins and 4 losses, with 20 victories coming by knockout.
His final battle was in 2018, when he misplaced the WBA title to Callum Smith within the World Boxing Super Series remaining. That bout marked the tip of a profession that included headline clashes towards Carl Froch, Badou Jack, and James DeGale.
According to Sports Illustratedon October 7, Groves gave Crawford his due—however nonetheless doubled down on his personal capacity. “I highly admire Crawford, but surely he wouldn’t have beaten me? I would have done him,” Groves stated.
He made it clear that he believes his energy at 168 kilos would have been an excessive amount of for Crawford, even whereas praising the American as boxing’s prime pound-for-pound expertise.
Crawford’s latest run offers context to Groves’ feedback. Just final month, the Nebraska native defeated Canelo Álvarez by unanimous resolution, a 12-round efficiency that shocked many within the sport.
In doing so, Crawford not solely added Alvarez’s identify to his résumé but additionally claimed the undisputed tremendous middleweight championship. That win cemented him as the primary male boxer in historical past to change into undisputed in three separate weight lessons—a milestone that underscores why so many followers and analysts place him on the prime of the present pound-for-pound rankings.
Even whereas insisting he might have crushed Crawford, Groves acknowledged the individuality of what the American has completed. “I’ll put him at number one pound for pound because he’s not a super middleweight and he went up and beat a super middleweight,” Groves stated.
He additionally questioned what comes subsequent for Crawford, suggesting a matchup with Gennadiy “Triple G” Golovkin might be an intriguing possibility if Golovkin decides to return.