George Groves Proves His World-Title Credentials in Win over Martin Murray

When George Groves is working out his next ring walk, he should consider using the song "I Want You" by the Inspiral Carpets as his entry music.

The opening line goes: "No one ever said it was gonna be easy." That short sentence perfectly sums up the career of Groves, a talented super middleweight who has so far been a boxing bridesmaid at world level.

Nevertheless, at least his career is still alive.

On Saturday, at the O2 Arena in London, Saint George reigned over fellow Englishman Martin Murray.

Their fight, the chief support to Anthony Joshua's first defence of his IBF heavyweight title, was billed as a must-win contest for both men.

Groves, who has failed in three attempts to win a world title, amazingly one less than his opponent, continued his recovery under the guidance of trainer Shane McGuigan with a unanimous points victory.

The result moves the 28-year-old a step closer to another crack at a major belt. He is already the WBA International champion and could next fight for the governing body's Super title.

Felix Sturm holds that honour, but his status is under review by the WBA after the German failed a drug test.

After his performance in the English capital, Groves (24-3, 18 KOs) looks ready for another crack at world glory.

There is a sharpness to his work again—something that had previously been knocked out of him by back-to-back defeats to compatriot Carl Froch.

When coming out on the wrong end of a split-decision verdict against WBC champion Badou Jack last year, Groves looked shot. He had the title in his grasp but had faded badly in the closing rounds.

He parted ways with trainer Paddy Fitzpatrick while contemplating his next move.

Having made his name with Adam Booth in his corner, there were concerns he was playing musical chairs with trainers as an excuse for his own shortcomings in the ring.

However, working with McGuigan has clearly revitalised him.

Even Froch was impressed by what he saw from his old foe against Murray. He (begrudgingly) praised Groves in a blog for Sky Sports:

"

There were a few little glimpses of what we all knew but as much as we all like Martin Murray, the size was an obvious advantage.

But let's not take anything away from Groves because I wanted to see him back to his old self and as I said, there was enough t of that.

Of course the best-in-the-business jab was working well again and looked very sharp. He also showed some decent counter shots and used that right as well, so it wouldn't surprise me if he got a fourth world title fight.

"

Murray's rather tepid start allowed Groves to get ahead early. Late in Round 7, it seemed there was a real possibility of a stoppage triumph when a right uppercut hit home.

However, the bell denied him the opportunity to make the most of the opening. He tried his best to drop Murray in Round 8, but somehow his rival remained upright.

From then on, with tiredness taking a toll, the former British, Commonwealth and European champion became unnecessarily involved in a toe-to-toe battle.

As Froch told Sky Sports in the article referenced above, it became a "hard shift" for Groves.

Richard Heathcote/Getty Images

Murray, having looked a beaten man at one stage, produced a Lazarus-like comeback in Round 10, stiffening up his opponent's legs as he threatened to wipe out the deficit on the scorecards.

That's the thing with Groves—there is always that element of doubt over his durability.

He was emphatically knocked out by Froch in their rematch at Wembley Stadium in London, plus Jack dropped him to the canvas in Round 1 of their 2015 meeting in Las Vegas.

His fights are like car-crash TV for boxing fans. You can never be certain of the outcome, but you still have to watch to see what unfolds.

For a brief time against Murray, it appeared his career was going to be cut short by yet another devastating defeat. Having dominated for so long, he found himself stuck in a desperate situation.

Yet Groves found a way to come through the sticky period.

Crucially, as the fight became scrappy down the stretch, the Londoner was able to produce one-off shots that carried enough power to keep Murray's late charge in check.

After being declared the winner, Groves told Sky Sports (h/t Ben Dirs of BBC Sport): "I think I performed great, but I got caught with punches."

He was right on both counts.

Groves stalked Murray—a boxer who has spent the majority of his career campaigning at middleweight—in the first half of the fight, hunching his shoulders in that style of his to probe away with precision and poise.

Yet during a brief period in Round 10, it seemed Groves might have to pen a retirement statement faster than England head coach Roy Hodgson managed at Euro 2016 after being knocked out by Iceland.

But, instead of hanging up his gloves, he can now look ahead to the future.

McGuigan hasn't tried to reinvent Groves; he just found the switch to reset him back to factory mode.

The jab—and it is a quite brilliant jab at that—was prominent once again. It sets the table for the straight right that carries all the power (Froch would also begrudgingly testify to that, having been knocked down by Groves in November 2013).

The fighter-trainer partnership had a soft start, recording facile wins over Andrea Di Luisa and David Brophy earlier in 2016. Coming through a tough test against a warrior like Murray is a big deal, though.

Groves has shown he's still a force to be reckoned with in the division.

He seems to have the spark back and, with McGuigan to guide him, can go on to finally become a world champion. But, just as the Inspiral Carpets suggested, it's not gonna be easy.

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