• Boxing

Groves fears DeGale will hide

ESPN staff
May 18, 2011
George Groves is determined to come out fighting against James DeGale © Getty Images
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George Groves is vowing to take the fight to James DeGale when the pair meet at the O2 Arena on Saturday.

There is no love lost between the pair, with DeGale still smarting from a defeat to Groves during their amateur careers, and it is likely to be a highly-charged affair.

Both are unbeaten in their professional careers and the British and Commonwealth titles will be on the line.

Groves is confident of emerging victorious however the fight plays out, but fears that DeGale may adopt a defensive stance in the fight.

"If I beat him long range, that is one way, if I take it to him and bash him up and beat him on the inside that is another way to beat him and is more than likely the way I will beat him," Groves told Sky Sports News.

"The one concern I have is that he is going to revert to type and become the boring fighter that he is, negative and stinking out the gaff at the O2. He is well capable of doing that.

"He has been booed before, he was booed at his golden moment at the Olympics, he was even booed on the podium as he picked up his gold medal. Being booed won't faze him.

"I have never been booed so I am going to make a fight of it on Saturday night."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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