Commonwealth super-middleweight champion George Groves will
defend his title against one of the toughest men in boxing on
December 15 at London's ExCeL when he faces former IBF world
light-heavyweight champion Glen Johnson.
Groves' promoter Frank Warren confirmed today that Groves and
the Jamaican born Miami based hardman Johnson will feature as chief
support on the multi-title card headlined by WBO world lightweight
champion Ricky Burns.
The Hammersmith southpaw is unbeaten in 15 fights, but sees
Johnson as the toughest and most exciting fight of his career so
far that has already seen him beat the best of British in James
DeGale and Paul Smith.
Due to injuries Groves, 24, has only fought once this year, but he
managed to put in action packed performance in California in July
that saw him stop tough Mexican Francisco Sierra in six rounds that
sent his stock soaring Stateside.
"Johnson is a great name and it will be a fantastic fight to end
the year with before looking at a world title shot next year," said
Groves
"He's a true warrior and will come to fight and in no way am
I expecting an easy night's work against him. I'll be training
my guts out for this fight and it could turn into a brutal and
bloody war, one that the fans will relish,"
"He's had 70 fights with 35 knockouts and is a massive step up for
me in just my sixteenth fight, a win against him would be great on
my record. One things for sure, the fans and BoxNation viewers
are in for a thrilling fight on December 15th,"
The legendary Bernard Hopkins is the first and only man to stop
Johnson over 15 years ago and since then, amongst others, he's
taken world champions Chad Dawson and Carl Froch the full
distance.
Groves knows he faces a huge task, but would love to be the first
man since Hopkins to stop the Road Warrior.
He continued: "The man is like a tank coming forward all the time
and I'll need to pull out some big bombs if I'm going to stop
him. Top men like Froch and Dawson, plus Antonio Tarver and
Clinton Woods couldn't halt him so it's a tall order, but I'm
confident in my abilities and if I can be the first since Hopkins
to stop him then it will send a strong message out to the 168 pound
world champions that I'm coming for them,"
Warren added: "It's a very tough fight for George. Johnson has
been around, seen it and done it in a near twenty year career so
he'll have bags of experience compared to George.
"But George is young, fresh, talented and hungry and really
wants to prove that he's the next world champion in waiting. I
think that the fans will be for a cracking fight between these two,
plus we'll be announcing Ricky Burns' challenger shortly."
17/10/2012 15:13:56