Groves stops Sierra but Anderson rematch is in doubt

George Groves kept his unbeaten record intact and impressed an American audience with a stunning stoppage of Mexico's Francisco Sierra but once again his September clash with Kenny Anderson is in question.

"The Saint" sustained a bad laceration above his right eye following a coming together of heads in the third round and although he continued to battle through the blood, his much talked about British title rematch with Anderson now hangs in the balance.

The pair met originally in November 2010 with Anderson being controversially stopped in the sixth after rocking and dropping Groves three rounds earlier.

An obvious return has been on the cards for some time, but, for one reason or another, has failed to materialise.

Despite the September 14 date being less than seven weeks away, it was clear from the opening bell that Groves wasn't in with a guy he could merely mark time against.

Sierra, 24, had mixed it with the likes of Edison Miranda and Thomas Oosthuizen and even snapped the unbeaten records of rising prospects Don George and Rogelio Ruvalcaba so had a point to prove.

In the early stages Groves, now 15 - 0 (12 KOs), had to often take a shot to land one and it looked like being a long evening for the Hammersmith man.

Indeed, even once Groves had established his rhythm, the wide shouldered Mexican was still managing to have the odd moment of success with his right hook.

After the clash of heads in the third, the Englishman stepped up a gear. Where many fighters nursing a bad laceration would go into their shell, Groves upped the pace and began to tee off in the centre of the ring.

And soon a right hand made Sierra's legs stiffen.

By the fifth round Sierra's attacks had become predictable. His jab was often slow moving out and Groves was able to slip and counter it with increasing ease.

The end came at 2.15 of the sixth. A right followed a pair of beautiful lefts detonated on the sweet spot and Sierra crashed backwards onto the canvas.

Although the Mexican bravely got back to his feet, the end looked nigh and Groves stemmed in a hefty right hand over the top which made the Mexican's head rock back. As soon as "The Saint" moved in for the finish, Sierra's corner tossed in the towel.