• Carl Froch v George Groves II

Froch: I'll finally put whinging Groves to bed

Carl Froch wants to put his rivalry with George Groves to bed but his challenger has other ideas © Getty Images

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Carl Froch has accused George Groves of undergoing a "lot of whinging and moaning" in order to secure a lucrative world title rematch, but has vowed to "silence" his British rival once and for all.

On Thursday, Froch-Groves II was confirmed to take place on May 31 at an as-yet unnamed football stadium and is expected to smash box office records for a British fight.

Froch was originally reluctant to hand Groves a rematch, indicating his opponent would have to wait, before reversing his opinion to state he would "happily" step in the ring with him again.

Groves loses appeal to BBBoC

• George Groves has lost his appeal to get the result of his first bout to Carl Froch changed to a 'no contest' by the British Board of Boxing Control, meaning he will go into the May 31 rematch with a defeat still on his professional record.
• BBBoC general secretary Robert Smith announced the body fully supported referee Howard Foster's decision to stop the original fight in the ninth round.
• "We have noted that the IBF granted George the rematch but regard the outcome of the first fight as a matter of opinion," Smith said. "Howard Foster is a world-class referee. In our view his decision to stop the fight was made in the best interests of George Groves. The result stands."

The pair underwent numerous wars of words and squabbles over a potential contract - Froch recently stated Groves had turned down a seven-figure offer to fight him again - before the IBF ordered a rematch within 90 days or Froch would risk losing his belt.

However, Froch has now stated that any question marks from the first bout "will be put to bed" second time around.

"Since the first fight he [Groves] has done a lot of whinging and moaning. He's been down a lot of avenues to make things happen in his favour and made himself mandatory challenger," Froch told Sky Sports News.

"The British public is behind this, it's the only fight I could reasonably take and the biggest one out there for me, the one all the people want to see.

"The feedback after the controversial stoppage from the paying public was that they were unsatisfied as the fight didn't reach a natural conclusion in that sense. I know that George Groves was gone, even the people that thought the referee stopped the fight too early, still agree that the fight was only going one way which was George Groves being flat on his face.

"I'll happily fight him, do the business on him and shut him up once and for all and any question marks about the first fight will be put to bed. I can't wait to silence Georgey Boy."

It's on!!!!! The rematch! @Carl_Froch has made a terrible terrible mistake! #TeamSaintGG #TicKTock

— George Groves (@StGeorgeGroves) February 13, 2014

Groves responded by issuing he was satisfied in gaining a rematch and did not care if others felt he was whingeing, for now he has another shot at a world title.

"He [Froch] may call it whinging but I'll happily whinge to get my world-title fight," Groves said. "It's not just the fans on my side who know [the first fight] should have gone on.

"I systematically beat him from rounds one-to-nine and he knows that. There's nothing from the first fight he can take as a positive.

"I have righted the wrong. I was mandatory the first time round, the fight finished incorrectly and the IBF agreed with me. Okay, it's a process, so you have to submit your evidence. I had to go to New Jersey and present my case... and it seems like it is a long, drawn out process but all I did was win my appeal.

"Carl has to fight me now because the fans demand it and because I am mandatory for the IBF title so that's where we are at.

"It's going to be easy. He has zero chance of winning."

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