Groves vs Eubank Jr means much more than money and prestige

On a day when medal hopeful Elise Christie crashed at the Winter Olympics once again, the biggest sporting story of this weekend still belongs to boxing, as George Groves and Chris Eubank Jr compete in the most eagerly awaited fight of the year so far.

The rewards are high, and not just because the WBA super middleweight championship is on the line. Both fighters are competing in the World Boxing Super Series, an eight-man elimination tournament which is currently at the semi-finals stage. According to promoter Kalle Sauerland, whoever wins tonight will collect a career high purse, and advances to the finals against either Callum Smith or Jürgen Brähmer.

Money and titles are wonderful rewards of course, but Groves vs Eubank Jr means so much more than that. Despite a mere one-year age gap between the two, each boxer seems to have emerged from a different generation, with a hugely varied fanbase.

At 29, Groves is the older man and is currently in his tenth year as a professional. Heralded as one of Britain’s greatest hopes when he made his debut, the WBA champion has packed a great deal of drama, success and despair into just 30 fights. A former British and Commonwealth titleholder, Groves defeated James DeGale en route to a world title showdown with Carl Froch in November 2013, which became one of the most contentious fights in history.

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Success is defined by timing, and it will always haunt Groves that he lost that bout. Not only because of the controversial stoppage in the ninth round, but because if he had knocked down Froch just ten seconds earlier in the first round, there is a significant chance he would still be an undefeated fighter. Time is fleeting, though, and when Groves was knocked out by Froch in their rematch, and defeated by Badou Jack a year later, it seemed that the Hammersmith boy had become the forgotten man.

Setbacks pave the way for comebacks however, and Groves’ rehabilitation under trainer Shane McGuigan proved a masterstroke when he finally won his world title at the fourth time of asking against Fedor Chudinov last May. A first defence against Jamie Cox saw a ragged Groves harassed and bullied in the opening stages, before he unleashed the best bodyshot of 2017 to emerge victorious.

Bodyshots could be the route Groves goes down tonight against Eubank, though it may take more than rib and liver punches to damage a man who makes The Terminator look like an emotional wreck. Chris Eubank Jr is many things. Dangerous, athletic, determined, and above all else, cerebral. Defined by his father, but leading by example in the modern age, few athletes in history have appeared so calm in the face of constant pressure.

With limited amateur experience but a burgeoning reputation bordering on biblical, Eubank Jr turned professional in December 2011, and won his first 18 fights before losing narrowly to Billy Joe Saunders three years later. That bout has since reached legendary status within British boxing circles, with opinion still hotly debated to this day. For some, a novice Eubank showed his immense potential by coming on strong in the latter stages of the fight against a proven star, and a future world champion. To other, his weaknesses were sharply exposed, and his career has been forever altered ever since.

It is true that Eubank Jr has tended to focus on one type of opponent in recent years. The 28-year-old has extended his Snapchat audience into the mainstream with beatdowns of Arthur Abraham, Spike O’Sullivan, Nick Blackwell and Avni Yildirim, and has looked unbeatable at times. Despite his success, the theories remain that he remains an Instagram fighter, rather than a bona fide boxer.

This is a fight which has been discussed and idealised in great detail from every angle. It’s not just the physical skills of both men which are in question, but the psychological strengths that each possess. Groves has recovered from a humiliating defeat from his greatest rival in front of 80,000 people at Wembley Stadium, while Eubank shook off the Billy Joe Saunders loss with sublime mental skill.

The build-up has been fraught with tension, as each man has attempted to unsettle the core of the other. Past sparring sessions have been examined thoroughly, every interview and press conference analysed, but many questions still remain. Has Groves the stamina to last through the expected Eubank onslaughts? Will his height, reach and weight advantage negate the energy of Eubank? Who really has the biggest power, and will either choke when nearly 20,000 people in Manchester gaze upon the ring with booze-fuelled interest?

In truth, nobody knows, but the answer could lie in the jabs of Groves. If he gets it working, and he gets Eubank frustrated, the advantages move swiftly towards the champion. In a different sport, several years ago, an Irishman declared that precision beats power and timing beats speed. In a rather more crude way, tonight’s fight could see a caveman style jab beat aggression, and experience beat flashiness.

This is a fight to savour, not to be sour on. Forget the vulgar words from Chris Eubank Sr whose entire personality is based on whimsical ignorance masquerading as wise enlightenment, and instead marvel at the tension, the drama and the conversations that only a huge boxing fight can produce. We’re looking at two world class athletes, one who trains himself and displays his feats for all the world to see online, against another, once a smug motor-mouth and now a grizzled veteran.

The winner will soak up riches beyond their wildest dreams, and the loser will be left to reflect on what could have been. That’s life. That’s boxing.