• Super Middleweight

Groves in line for DeGale rematch

James DeGale and George Groves first went toe-to-toe in 2011 © PA Photos

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George Groves could be in line for a third shot at a world super middleweight title against old rival James DeGale.

For the second time, a complacent Groves failed to take the WBA and IBF titles from Carl Froch when he was knocked out in the eighth round on Saturday.

DeGale is now the mandatory challenger to Froch after a sublime fourth-round victory over Brandon Gonzalez on the Wembley undercard.

Time is right for Froch to quit

Carl Froch knocked out George Groves in the eighth round © Getty Images

• Carl Froch insists he wants a big fight in Las Vegas after surviving battles in the ring for supremacy and outside the ring for respect, but he can surely walk away with his head held high after conquering all the doubters for the last time, writes Steve Bunce.
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But Froch may vacate the IBF belt as he pursues a decider against Mikkel Kessler or a Las Vegas showdown with Julio Chavez Jr, promoter Eddie Hearn is eyeing a rematch between DeGale and Groves.

"Froch could vacate the IBF title and James could go another route, another shot could come up. It's up to me to carve that out," Hearn said. "A possible scenario is James DeGale against George Groves.

"You wouldn't need to sell that, would you? You've got the rivalry from their days as amateurs and the history of the bout at the O2 Arena which George won in controversial circumstances."

That night, DeGale, Olympic gold medallist in Beijing, was convinced he had won. But Groves was handed a 115-115, 115-114, 115-114 points victory - DeGale's only professional defeat to date.

DeGale said: "I don't think Carl wants to fight me, I'm all wrong for him, and he knows.

"When he won, I spoke to him and said, 'Well done, you boxed well but I'm next'. And he said, 'I have a voluntary first', and laughed."

Turning his attention to Hearn, DeGale added: "It's his time now to deliver. But I'm right back in the frame.

"Eddie said, 'Take this shot and box on the Wembley show. Beat Gonzalez and you get the winner of Froch/Groves.' I've done my part. The rest is up to Eddie."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd