With 80,000 chanting fans in the Wembley Stadium, George Groves’ dream of becoming a boxing world champion came crashing down after a knockout defeat to Carl Froch. Not one to lose his step, Groves is coming back determined for another crack at the top of the division. But before challenging for another title, he’ll need to get past EBU super-middleweight champion Christopher Rebrasse.
Groves isn’t the only one gunning for a championship. Argentina’s Marcos Maidana is set for a second fight against the masterful Floyd Mayweather Jr. You can view the preview of the highly-anticipated rematch here. In the meantime, read on for a breakdown on Groves’ road to glory, starting with his fight against France’s Rebrasse.
[sc:MultiSportArticles ]George Groves vs. Christopher Rebrasse Betting Preview and Prediction
Where: Wembley Arena, London
When: Saturday, September 20, 2:00 PM ET
Line: George Groves vs. Christopher Rebrasse – view all Boxing lines
Betting on George Groves
Saint George Groves (19-2, 15 KO) will have to wait a bit longer before being canonized into boxing holiness. Groves faltered in his first shot at a major title against WBA and IBF super-middleweight title holder Carl Froch twice. He lost a questionable stoppage in the night round in November 2013 before being put to sleep in the eighth round six months later.
[sc:Other240banner ]Nevertheless, Groves remains a slick practitioner of the sweet science with a flicker style that helps him set up a pesky up jab from below. His unorthodox style gives him different openings to exploit while utilizing excellent head movement to move away from incoming punches.
An accurate puncher, Groves landed 38.67 percent of his attempted punches in his last three fights, significantly higher than the average middleweight’s 31 percent accuracy. He often swarms opponents with a torrential downpour of punches on his best days. He outlanded Noe Gonzalez, Glen Johnson and Francisco Sierra 480-210 for an astounding 270-punch advantage.
Despite enjoying success as a volume puncher, the Englishman doesn’t have good footwork. He has some unnecessary movements and tends to surrender the center of the ring. This lack of footwork was most evident in his back-to-back fights against Froch after getting knocked out with his back to the ropes.
Groves is a self-proclaimed ignorant fighter. While his arrogance usually results in a boost in confidence, it may end up working against him if put in tight situations. He shelled up too much when pressured by Froch. After showing that weakness, he should expect to be pushed into a corner early to put him off his game.
George Groves’ last three wins all came by technical knockout before the sixth round.
Betting on Christopher Rebrasse
EBU super-middleweight champion Christopher Rebrasse (22-2-3, 6 KO) will have his first shot against one of boxing’s elite when he defends his title against the brash George Groves. However, like his opponent, Rebrasse isn’t exactly coming in hot on the heels of a dramatic victory. He looked absolutely horrible in his last championship fight against the only top talent on his resume Mouhamed Ali Ndiaye.
Rebrasse was handily picked apart for most of their four-round fight, but managed to find the perfect opportunity to strike, unloading a combination of heavy punches that ended with a fight-ending uppercut against a distracted opponent. Still, Ndiaye is mediocre at best and Rebrasse failed to impress.
The slow Frenchman throws predictable combinations of jabs and straights. Yet, standing at 6’2″, Rebrasse will hold a significant reach and height advantage over the 5’11” Groves. Even with his predictable punch package, he may keep his opponent at bay while controlling the center of the ring. However, Groves’ movement around the ring should still dictate the pace of this upcoming fight.
Nevertheless, Rebrasse will have the fight of his life if he finds it within himself to pressure Groves early. He’ll need to do so as his challenger is a slow and tentative starter who relies on momentum to control the fight. If he’s able to stay competitive in the first few rounds, then he will be able to chip away at the Englishman’s confidence to hopefully take over for the first big win of his career. And if there’s one thing Groves is afraid of, it’s a thudding right straight that sent him crashing to the canvas in May.
Writer’s Prediction
George Groves will be landing at will against the plodding Christopher Rebrasse. Saint George wins by knockout in the fifth round.
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