• Boxing

Groves displays scars of sparring

ESPN staff
May 5, 2011
'Game over, ugly boy' - James DeGale's message to George Groves © Getty Images
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George Groves added another weapon to James DeGale's arsenal of insults by sporting a black eye at a press conference ahead of their May 21 clash for the British and Commonwealth super-middleweight titles.

One day after it emerged that Nathan Cleverly and DeGale called off their sparring sessions because they became too heated, Groves wore the scars of his own wars in the practice ring.

And, as expected, DeGale wasted no time in warning Groves, his long-time rival, that worse is to come when they meet at London's O2 Arena.

"Listen, I look at him and I know him," DeGale said of Groves. "With his leaky defence of course he is going to get battered and bruised and stuff like that but he is going to get worse than that on May 21.

"His biggest weakness is his defence, he has no defence. No defence at all. He can't box, he can't fight on the ropes. He doesn't know how to hold.The inside fighting bit, he just can't do it.

"Basically he is going to get battered or be a kip on the floor. That's it. Game over, ugly boy. You're done. Finished, finito. I'm off moving onto bigger and better things, you're going to be a kip on the floor or just battered and bruised."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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