Boxing: Groves vs Eubank Jr - Britain's next domestic superfight

George Groves’ four-round victory over Jamie Cox Saturday night at Wembley Arena was seen by many as a foregone conclusion. His next battle against Chris Eubank Jr, however, is the real story to come from the evening’s card.

Groves vs Cox was the third quarter-final bout in the super-middleweight tournament of the inaugural World Boxing Super Series – and with Eubank Jr handily winning the previous weekend in Stuttgart, Britain’s next domestic superfight is set.

REPORT: [GROVES BEATS COX TO LINE UP EUBANK JR SEMI-FINAL]

Groves and Eubank Jr are a great pairing for boxing fans. Both are skilled, yet have justified chips on their shoulders after coming up short against Carl Froch and Billy Joe Saunders, respectively. Only one of them will get another crack at proving themselves as a top British drawing card, realistically.

And it’s likely that their semi-final, tentatively set for January and surely to be held in England, will determine which one has not only a shot at the Ali Trophy but also at being the star they each hoped they would be by the time 2014 became 2015.

Promoter Kalle Sauerland is believed to be optimistic of making the bout a stadium card, with each man having preferences that would serve in their favour: West Londoner Groves would benefit from somewhere such as Craven Cottage or even his beloved Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge, while the Amex Stadium would be great for Brighton boy Eubank Jr..

However, a stadium in the middle of football season (not to mention football postponement season) would be a tough task, so it remains to be seen where the mouth-watering showdown ends up.

‘Saint’ George wasted no time beginning the psychological warfare when he discussed his next opponent in the ring, just minutes after wiping out the game Cox.

“I’ve been there and done it,” Groves said. “I have a lot of experience of these kind of nights.

“Whether it will dawn upon Eubank that it is not so easy to carry the pressure at that high level, I can’t know

“But to his credit he is a performer and I think he will relish the big stage.

“He is a performer first and a fighter second. He is always aware of how he is perceived.

“He is physically strong and happy to let his hands go and it will be an exciting fight.”

It’s worth noting that while the perception is indeed that Groves is some kind of grizzled veteran to Eubank’s upstart, George is only 18 months older than Junior and has boxed just three more fights than him.

The fact that Eubank has only just moved up to super-middle after initially moving up the professional ranks as a middleweight is another factor making people believe Groves is on another level, experience-wise. As is the fact that nothing Eubank has done so far can compare to the huge fights with Froch, the second of which sold out Wembley Stadium.

Groves noted after the Cox fight that there’s another area where he feels Eubank lacks valuable experience: basic boxing procedures.

“Now we have to see if he will conform,” Groves said. “He wraps his own hands. Professionals have other people do that.

“His Dad, Chris senior, gets in the ring and stares at him between rounds.

“Will he now think – I have moved up to another level so I have to change? He is going to have to make an awful lot of changes.”

For the next three months, I would advise you to be prepared to hear about this fight a hell of a lot. The road to what could be a blockbuster start to 2018 for British boxing has only just begun.