Comments Thread For: Hearn Stunned at Groves' Position on Fighting DeGale

[Dirk Diggler UK]

Diggles - you are losing your temper again...

I was unaware that someone had to 'fit in' for the purpose of posting opinion online? I just want to talk some

I am not here to be accepted, judged or seek personal affirmation, but perhaps YOU are?

Ok so talk boxing and stop worrying about me. Also stop posting rubbish jokes and trying to use juvenile terms like "hater" and "you mad". You're a middle aged man for crying out loud. At least have some respect for yourself.

[MDPopescu]

In case the Ugly Kid takes Hearn's money now he knows that he has to hang them out, at 26 years old... Because Hearn would and will not afford another loss for DeGale... And Groves thinks he has better career prospects... (But I don't think he actually has...)

[springfiels]

Wow commenting on my screen name and post count and saying I've never "laced em up". What next? Saying I live in my "mom's basement" and calling me out for a real fight. You'll have covered the entire manual of Generic Forum Insults 101....

I would want that but it's unlikely to happen. I don't see Groves beating Anthony Dirrell in America and honestly DeGale has it tougher against Andre. Even if they do both win, there's no guarantee that they'll end up fighting each other. One of them may get Froch or like I said, Groves will be even more difficult to negotiate with. The fight is on the table now. Froch might even consider the winner for a stadium fight THIS summer.

You can't be turning down this kind of money on the slight chance that it could happen later. I'd understand if it was a couple hundred grand but it's £2.5million that Groves is walking away from.

Don't be silly, I'd never challenge you to a fight. I'm also a lonely ****** who can't box and lives in my mum's basement, neither of us would even throw a slap.

I think Anthony Dirrell will come to the UK tho, same as Andre Dirrell probably will, coz neither has a fan base and both will end up being swayed by the money... If that happens, I would back both Groves and Degale to win decisions (if Groves can survive gassing late). Then all roads lead to a London stadium in 2016.

All insults aside... I see what you're saying about taking it while its there and the money. But I actually do think Groves is ducking the fight for now and needs to protect his career more than his bank balance, he got well & truly sparked in front of 80k people - that takes some recovering from! Plus I personally would rather see them both in world title fights asap anyway, but would definitely love to see them rematch in a unification roadblock event.

[alexguiness]

Ok so talk boxing and stop worrying about me. Also stop posting rubbish jokes and trying to use juvenile terms like "hater" and "you mad". You're a middle aged man for crying out loud. At least have some respect for yourself.

I apologive Mr D1ck Fiddler.

The term 'hater' was wholly inappropriate for somebody of my advancing years.

Senility has clearly overtaken me already.

I'll just stick with labeling you a juvenile phuckwitt instead.

That's high praise coming from a crabby old b'stard like me!

If that's OK with you, of course....

[Dirk Diggler UK]

Don't be silly, I'd never challenge you to a fight. I'm also a lonely ****** who can't box and lives in my mum's basement, neither of us would even throw a slap.

I think Anthony Dirrell will come to the UK tho, same as Andre Dirrell probably will, coz neither has a fan base and both will end up being swayed by the money... If that happens, I would back both Groves and Degale to win decisions (if Groves can survive gassing late). Then all roads lead to a London stadium in 2016.

All insults aside... I see what you're saying about taking it while its there and the money. But I actually do think Groves is ducking the fight for now and needs to protect his career more than his bank balance, he got well & truly sparked in front of 80k people - that takes some recovering from! Plus I personally would rather see them both in world title fights asap anyway, but would definitely love to see them rematch in a unification roadblock event.

Anthony Dirrell is not coming to the UK. I'll tell you that now categorically. It will probably go to purse bids and its' 85/15 in favour of the champion so Sauerland are not going to win that. They'll probably fight on the under card of a Haymon show for **** all money.

[Clegg]

Usually when people talk of the fight being better left until down the road it's BS, but in this instance I think it's the best approach. I'd rather see them face off in 6-9 months or however long it will take for both to attempt a significant win against a Dirrell or whoever. As things stand it just feels like another Bellew-Cleverley II, 2 boxers who haven't shown they can really cut it at world level but they can hype it up and put on PPV and pretend it's significant because of how much they really really don't like each other. Not only that but they've already fought, and neither have significantly advanced their career since then.

Not a fan of the Hearn business model, seems like his ideal career path for anyone is domestic fights and rematches of domestic fights, preferably on PPV.

[Hype job]

Groves don't want it and I don't blame him, he's looked dreadful post Froch 1.

Someone needs to advise him to take a layoff or something he's looked horrendous since splitting from Booth.

[springfiels]

Anthony Dirrell is not coming to the UK. I'll tell you that now categorically. It will probably go to purse bids and its' 85/15 in favour of the champion so Sauerland are not going to win that. They'll probably fight on the under card of a Haymon show for **** all money.

It going to purse bids is what makes me think it'll end up going with Sauerland. They can put together a much bigger show around it, so will bid more. They're heavily invested in making Groves profitable now, I think they'll back him and see giving 85% to Dirrell as an investment on big future Groves returns.

[Kilrain]

How the fck does Eddie even know what Dirrell offered Groves? He's not involved in the negotiations. The guy is a complete snake.

Groves-DeGale isn't all that big a fight right now. Really, who's asking for, or calling for that fight? No-one; apart from Eddie. It probably would fill an arena, because of their rivalry, but it's not a fight on a lot of people's lips. Eddie is simply trying to use Groves, and Groves' name, to build his guy DeGale - who still no-one cares about - into a star.

DeGale needs to continue building his profile. He's only had two fights on Sky since fighting in leisure centres under Hennessy's banner. One was an impressive victory over untested Gonzalez. The other was a solid victory over a fat, unmotivated Periban. He needs a marquee win. Eddie thinks Groves, short on confidence post-Froch KO, is the perfect antidote so he's trying to make a power play by offering Groves, who has the far bigger profile, 50-50 to fight DeGale.

Groves would rather be his own man, win the WBC title by beating the holder of the belt, even if it's for less money, than go over old ground by fighting DeGale (who he's beat twice already, once in the amateurs, once as a pro) for 50-50 (and a vacant belt) and potentially giving Hearn and DeGale the satisfaction of victory if it's a close fight (as it will be) and he loses a decision.

It's not always about money, Edward. For the Hearns it's always been about a pound note, but there's a lot more to boxing than that: legacy/risk-reward/politics/hedging, then egos and personalities to consider.

Groves reckons if he wins the WBC belt - even if it's on the road, ESPECIALLY if it's on the road - he has done things his way, become a world champion on merit, beaten a champion, made a splash in the States - yes, he's not made as much $$$ as he would by dancing to Hearn's tune, but he's made it on his own esteem and he's then in a much more favourable position to negotiate a return with DeGale, which, let's face it, becomes FAR bigger if they both handle their business and defeat the Dirrell brothers.

It doesn't sound like Hearn fancies DeGale's chances vs Andre Dirrell and so is trying to get DeGale more money, and a vacant belt, in a more even fight with Groves which he can milk UK PPV for (his new favourite pastime). Whereas Groves sounds supremely confident of beating Dirrell (who, let's be honest, isn't great and, provided GG can rediscover the form he showed in the first Froch fight, shouldn't be too difficult to overcome)

Get frustrated all you like, Eddie: you'll be even more frustrated if DeGale drops a lopsided decision to Andre Dirrell in London....and Groves underlines the strength of his convictions by going Stateside to beat Anthony Dirrell for the WBC belt....stranger things have happened.

[Kilrain]

Usually when people talk of the fight being better left until down the road it's BS, but in this instance I think it's the best approach. I'd rather see them face off in 6-9 months or however long it will take for both to attempt a significant win against a Dirrell or whoever. As things stand it just feels like another Bellew-Cleverley II, 2 boxers who haven't shown they can really cut it at world level but they can hype it up and put on PPV and pretend it's significant because of how much they really really don't like each other. Not only that but they've already fought, and neither have significantly advanced their career since then.

Not a fan of the Hearn business model, seems like his ideal career path for anyone is domestic fights and rematches of domestic fights, preferably on PPV.

Could not agree more. Hearn shamelessly looking to line his pockets with this one. He really does treat the UK boxing public with utter contempt. The Bellew-Cleverly card was a bad joke, top to bottom. The Groves-DeGale rematch is only interesting if, as you say, both advance beyond the point they were before in the first fight. Groves boosted his profile significantly in 2013/14 but, ultimately, lost back-to-back world title fights. DeGale has only recently reemerged from the boxing wilderness. Why should they rematch now? They're both on the verge of their own world title fights.