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Corner man

Familiarity breeds contempt for DeGale and Groves

It’s friends reunited in tonight’s intriguing showdown of former gym mates.

THERE ARE TWO types of fights that boxing fans always make a point of watching.

The first, I’ll call ‘event’ fights; you know the sort – an Irishman fighting for a big title, or when one (or two) of the sport’s best are in action.

The other type of compelling battle comes when two fighters meet and are all but guaranteed to give you some entertainment, or bang for your buck if you will. Tonight’s contest between Londoners James DeGale and George Groves might just be one of those rare fights that fits into both categories.

They may be former club-mates, but Groves and DeGale don’t like each other, and if the hype is to be believed then they never have.  The pair have known each other for years, trained alongside each other at Dale Youth amateur boxing club in Shepherds Bush, and just five years ago met as amateurs.

On that occasion, Groves was the winner, though DeGale dismisses the decision.  It was also the last time they shared the ring – thereafter, it was decided that they would train at separate times.  Said DeGale: “I never wanted to see his ugly face again.”

Early in 2008, both men took part in a tournament in Sheffield and though they never actually met, it was DeGale who won through and ultimately went to the Beijing Olympics.  He won the gold medal, and the glory, and Groves has resented this ever since.

“I beat him – I deserve a chance.”

At their pre-fight press conference on Thursday both men agreed to bet their purses on the outcome of tonight’s fight.  British Boxing Board of Control rules prohibit this, so it’s unlikely that tonight’s loser will go broke, but it was another sign of the genuine antagonism that has been evident since the fight was announced, and even before then.  It is this friction that is set to give fans an explosive bout tonight.

It’s almost the perfect recipe.

Two unbeaten fighters who genuinely resent each other will meet in front of 18,000 spectators, in their home town.  While the British and Commonwealth titles will be at stake, the most important prizes will be pride and bragging rights.  Groves says he will win early but I can’t see it panning out that way.  DeGale should be too good, and will likely win inside the distance, but don’t take your eyes off this one for a second.

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Tonight’s other premiere fight at the O2 Arena was due to see Wales’ Nathan Cleverly fight German Jurgen Braehmer for a Light-Heavyweight World Title.

However, as he has done often before, Braehmer pulled out of the fight with just four days notice.  Liverpudlian Tony Bellew then offered to step in, until officials ruled that he was overweight and could not challenge for the World Title, now awarded to Cleverly.  The unbeaten Welshman will now take on Pole Alesky Kuziemski who should be little more than cannon fodder.

The incident is troubling for promoter Frank Warren, who was vocal in his criticism of the Amir Khan-Paul McCloskey show which fell off pay-per-view due a poor quality undercard.

It’s also another body-blow for SKY who will continue to charge those who wise to watch tonight, but have offered refunds to those who had paid up and feel it’s no longer worth their money.   The other fight of note tonight sees Irish Light-Welterweight Champion Frankie Gavin take on Young Muttley in an interesting contest that Gavin should win.  Unbeaten Corkman Gary ‘Spike’ O’Sullivan is also in action.

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There is boxing elsewhere tonight, with two shows involving a pair of the sport’s all-time greats, both of whom are well into the twilight of their careers.  It is 18 years, almost to the day, since Roy Jones Jr beat Bernard Hopkins in the first of what would be two fights between them.

Jones went onto dominate boxing for the best part of a decade after that win, but he is now a shadow of his former self, at best.  Father Time has caught up with him but nonetheless (perhaps unfortunately), he fights on.  Today he takes on the very dangerous cruiserweight Denis Lebedev in Moscow, and will need to recapture some of his old form to have any legit shot against the big-punching Russian.

Though he is four years Jones’ senior, Bernard Hopkins is certainly the fresher of the pair.  Tonight, in Montreal, he takes on Jean Pascal in a rematch of a compelling bout between the pair last year.  A win for Hopkins tonight would make him the oldest man (46) to lift a world title.  It would be a fitting end to the career of a man who has been a stalwart of the sport for so long (not that I feel his retirement is close at all), but it would also be a win tinged with bitterness for some.

Hopkins courted controversy in the build-up to the fight with some pretty disgusting remarks about NFL Quarterback Donovan McNabb, statements he has refused to retract.

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Andy Lee’s midweek win over Alex Bunema attracted little attention (rightly so) but the dominant performance by the Limerick man leaves him in a bit of a predicament.

With his next big fight set for September, when he will look to avenge his only career defeat to Brian Vera, Lee is at an odd-end looking for a tune-up fight in the interim.  Dubliner Anthony Fitzgerald is a possible opponent, though another American fight is Lee’s most likely route to be frank.  ‘Fitz’ meanwhile is Ukraine bound this weekend for some sparring with middleweight titlist Avtandil Khurtsidze.

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The Independent newspaper has a gallery of boxing’s best trash talking on it’s website.  Some great quotes – do check them out

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This Week In Boxing History

If I could only ever watch one round of boxing for the rest of my life, it would be this.  When Arturo Gatti and MIcky Ward announced that they would meet on 18 May, 2002, fight fans dreamt of what was surely going to be an all-action bout between two men who did not know the meaning of a backwards step, or the easy route.

Even then, what transpired in Connecticut that night was beyond anyone’s wildest dreams.  It was fight of the year, one of the fights of the decade, and in Round 9 it has given us three minutes which will define both men’s careers and lives, and will live on infamy.

Made all the more poignant by the untimely loss of Arturo Gatti, the ninth anniversary of his finest hour (even though he lost) has been honoured across the world this week by fans who watch him shine once more.  If you have never seen this round, then sit back and enjoy.  In the more likely event that you have, I’m sure you won’t mind watching again.

Watch here