• Carl Froch v George Groves

Froch: Groves will get a pasting

Carl Froch could not bear to look at George Groves for long during the final pre-fight press conference © PA Photos

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World super-middleweight champion Carl Froch has promised to give George Groves a "pasting" when the pair go head-to-head in Manchester on Saturday.

Froch will defend his WBA and IBF titles against unbeaten Groves in front of a sell-out crowd at the Phones 4u Arena, and stated he will teach his challenger a lesson in the ring.

Groves has oozed confidence in his pre-fight talk, but the 'Cobra' believes his opponent has started to show signs of nerves - particularly as the pair exchanged verbal blows at the final press conference on Thursday.

Manchester is used to rivalry - but not like this

Carl Froch is ready for war © Getty Images

• He may never admit it, but there will be a moment - however slight it may be - on Saturday night when George Groves will stare across the ring in Manchester and catch the eyes of Carl Froch. The final 'can I do this' moment.
• Read Rob Bartlett's thoughts on the all-British title clash

"I've seen a chink in George's armour, I don't actually think he believes in what he is saying," Froch told Sky Sports News. "Up until now, I thought he actually believed in his own stupidity, his own childish remarks and he sort of had a game plan.

But he's revealed himself today as being a very worried man and I think the big fight is dawning on him now, it's getting closer and closer.

"He cannot mix it with me at this level, it's impossible. He might have two or three rounds keeping out of the way, jabbing and moving to make it look like a fight,

"But he knows once we start exchanging leather up close and this fight becomes a fight, he's out of his depth and is in serious trouble. I could see that today in his eyes, I could see it in his body language.

"So I'm coming away from this press conference feeling very, very, even more confident than what I was to start with and looking forward even more to giving George Groves a pasting on Saturday night because that's what I do; give people like him a pasting for their cheek."

Groves spent the conference disclosing the tactics he will use in order to beat Froch, which the champion dismissed as "very strange".

The Nottingham fighter was first to turn away as the pair went face-to-face outside the ring for the final time, but Froch revealed he moved because he did not want to smell his opponent's breath any more.

"Looking away doesn't mean anything, and I'm not being funny but he's got halitosis and it's a condition that's not nice to be stood in front of," Froch said. "That's the reason why I was looking away because I could only bear it for so long.

"I can't wait to flatten George Groves. And when I've done it, I will still tell him what I think of him. I'm not going to shake his hand, give him a kiss and a hug, say don't worry you'll come back and do something in the future when I retire because I don't like the guy."

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