Badou Jack vs. George Groves: Fight Time, Date, Live Stream and TV Info
Badou Jack will make the first defence of his WBC super middleweight title against George Groves on Saturday.
The American-based Swede became a world champion by beating Anthony Dirrell via a majority decision in April.
Groves, meanwhile, has been cast in the role of challenger before in his career. The Englishman twice came up short in attempts to take the IBF and WBA belts from compatriot Carl Froch.
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The fight is part of the undercard before Floyd Mayweather Jr. faces Andre Berto in the main event in Las Vegas.
When: Saturday, Sept. 12, at 7 p.m. PT / 10 p.m. ET / 3 a.m. BST (Sunday)
Where: MGM Grand, Las Vegas
TV: Showtime (US), BoxNation (UK)
Live stream: Showtime Anytime (US), BoxNation (UK)
Jack The Ace
Despite being the reigning champion, Jack finds himself the underdog going into the fight. Odds Shark prices him at 137-100, compared to Groves' odds of 4-7.
However, the 31-year-old is not bothered by his status with the bookmakers, saying in a media call, via Boxing News 24: "I like it. I was the underdog before and changed the role as well. We saw what happened in there? It’s less pressure. So I like it."
He wasn't fancied to defeat Dirrell either, yet he did enough to convince two of the three judges at ringside to award him the victory (the other official scored it 114-114).
Jack (19-1-1, 12 KOs) did not have a career record that suggested he could cause an upset against Dirrell. He had never previously boxed over 10 rounds and was knocked out in just over a minute by Derek Edwards in February 2014.
Now, though, he's lost the element of surprise. Groves told Matt Christie of Boxing News that he has meticulously studied his next opponent:
"This is a fight against a good guy, but a guy who is not as good as me. For that reason, we’re just looking forward to getting in there and performing. And winning and everything that goes with it.
Without trying to give too much away about the game plan, we know Jack’s strengths. We know his weaknesses.
We plan to go in there, nullify his strengths and expose the weaknesses.
"
The Ripper—who represented Gambia in the 2008 Olympics but was born in Stockholm, Sweden—now has to prove that his victory over Dirrell was not a flash in the pan.
Third Time Lucky
Groves (21-2, 16 KOs) will want to make sure he doesn't become known as the nearly man of the super middleweight division.
The Londoner performed admirably against Froch, including dropping his rival to the canvas in the opening round of their first bout, but he ultimately came up short on each occasion.
Those performances raised his profile, but he is still yet to fulfil his ambition of becoming a world champion.
He has taken his latest attempt seriously, spending eight weeks in iconic Big Bear, California, in a training camp that saw him use the same Summit Gym as middleweight Gennady Golovkin.
Per Jack Bezants of the Daily Mail, Groves—who has recorded wins over Christopher Rebrasse and Denis Douglin since that second loss to Froch—has left no stone unturned in his preparations:
"We're in a great place and we're just ready to perform, to steal the show and arrive on the world scene.
Every fight is more vital than the last, more important than the last and there's more to lose, especially once you've lost.
This is a fight against a good guy, but a guy who is not as good as me. For that reason, we're just looking forward to getting in there and performing. And winning and everything that goes with it.
"
A world-title triumph on American soil would pave the way for some big fights, most notably a potential rematch between Groves and his longtime rival James DeGale.
Groves won the last time they met, outpointing Chunky in Manchester in 2011 when the British and Commonwealth titles were up for grabs.
A second clash in the paid ranks would gain added interest if both men held versions of a world title. DeGale already has the IBF strap in his possession thanks to a victory over Andre Dirrell in May.
However, before he can think about sizable paydays in the future, Groves must remain focused on the task at hand—beating Jack and bringing home the WBC crown.
Prediction
It is understandable that Groves is the favourite. He may have lost twice to Froch, but in doing so he proved he belongs at the highest level.
His boxing skills can allow him to dictate proceedings at the weekend—Saint George has an excellent jab, though he can at times be open to counters.
If he avoids getting into a battle and makes sure Jack can't do too much damage on the inside, Groves can make it a short reign for his opponent with a comfortable points triumph.
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