The World Super Series of Boxing continues on the weekend with a bit of a mismatch looking bout between champion George Groves and challenger Jamie Cox. Groves is a huge favourite for the fight at a price of 1/5 with Coral to go and put the win on the board. Groves goes into this with the WBA super-middleweight title in his possession after beating Russia’s Fedor Chudinov at Bramall Lane back in May.
That was Groves’ fourth title fight and the first time that he had succeeded in one. It does hint at it the Londoner being a little more composed and ready for the big stage and at 29 he is coming right into his prime as a fighter. Groves has a five-fight winning streak behind him at the moment since a split-decision loss against Badou Jack back in September 2015 for the WBC super-middleweight title.
He looked far more prepared having come through a sensible build up to his win over Chudinov instead of before perhaps just jumping into title fights a little bit early. Things are the other way around for this one because Cox really isn’t at the level to be in a title fight against Groves, which is what this is as Groves’ WBA super-middleweight title is on the line at the SSE Arena in London on Saturday.
Cox, a southpaw from Swindon has had a chequered career. A stop-start career due to injury and personal issues. He’s not fought at the level that Groves has been at and at 31, his time as a late bloomer has really passed him by. There’s just no-one of note that the former Commonwealth champion has faced in his professional career to suggest that he will make a go of this.
Cox had just one fight last year but since May of this year he has warmed up with three fights but hasn’t impressed against average-at-best opponents like Lewis Taylor and journeyman Giorgi Kandelaki. Cox is a big 18/1 underdog for this bout.
World Super Series of Boxing
This is just a warm-up really for Groves in the quarter finals of the knockout tournament. Chris Eubank Jr, who smashed apart Avni Yildirim in the third round of their quarter final fight last weekend, is waiting for the winner of this one. It should be Groves and that clash with Eubank Jr, which is scheduled for January, should be epic.
Betting Tip
Cox shouldn’t be in the ring with Groves at all, this is just a total mismatch of a fight. Even if Cox pulled his best together in one fight, it wouldn’t be good enough to match the skill level of Groves. Groves will want to make a statement back to Eubank Jr and under 9.5 rounds is a good even-money price. This shouldn’t go the distance and Groves by KO TKO or Disqualification is 5/2 at Paddy Power.