Groves hits out at referee despite convincing win

George Groves

George Groves has criticised referee Michael Alexander on social media for not awarding him a tenth round knockdown in his World Boxing Super Series semi-final with Chris Eubank Jr.

The Brighton fighter touched the canvas with a glove and reigning WBA super-middleweight champion Groves is frustrated it didn’t count.

Groves was given a 117-112, 116-112, 115-113 points decision by the judges but feels the scores should have been even more emphatic.

He commented on both Instagram and Twitter about the fight after skipping the press conference after his triumph so he could be taken to hospital to have his left shoulder put back in place after it was dislocated in the 12th round.

‘A huge thank you to all the boxing fans who gave me such tremendous support last night. We had the Manchester arena rocking!’ Groves said.

Then came the jab at the referee when he added: ‘The levels I spoke of pre fight I displayed well. Can’t believe the referee didn’t score me at least one knock down.’

The 29-year-old from Hammersmith has yet  to comment on the severity of his injury which could potentially scupper his chances of fighting in the World Boxing Super Series final against the winner of Saturday’s second semi-final in Germany between Liverpool’s Callum Smith and Juergen Braehmer.

But news is imminent as he also posted: ‘A medical update on the shoulder coming soon!”

Soon after the fight Eubank took to Twitter to congratulate Groves and, despite calls from Prince Naseem Hamed urging him to retire,

The British boxing great from Sheffield is not impressed by Eubank Jr’s record even though this is only the second defeat in his career with the other reversal being in in 2014 fight with current WBO middleweight champion Billy Joe Saunders.

‘This guy is not in the level he thinks he is,’ Hamed said. ‘He is in dream land.

‘I know this sounds terrible but I think he should finish. I don’t think he’s a hard puncher, in this game you need a get out of jail card, you need to be able to put them away and smash them up.

‘He threw the kitchen sink and George Groves but he didn’t do anything, not even when George has a dislocated shoulder.’

He has pledged to the ring in a bid to rebuild his career. He tweeted: ‘Was a hell of fight & I’ll be back in the ring asap. Congratulations to Groves.’

About the Author

Danny Griffiths
A freelance journalist who has worked for local and national newspapers, he has covered boxing across the spectrum including the 1990 Commonwealth Games in New Zealand and the 2012 London Olympics. His favourite interviews were lengthy, early morning calls from New York with Paulie Malignaggi... and Mike Tyson.