IT MAY be Floyd Mayweather’s name that lights up the strip this week, but it is the ‘Saint’ who could steal the show in Las Vegas during the early hours of Sunday morning.
While unbeaten Mayweather is widely priced at 1/100 to pick up a 49th career victory in the weekend’s underwhelming headliner against Andre Berto, the chief support could do what few have managed before and upstage ‘Money’ at the MGM Grand.
Cocky Cockney ‘Saint’ George Groves (21-2-0), little known in America but a big name on these shores after his two box office-smashing showdowns with Carl Froch, bids to finally get his hands on a version of the world super-middleweight title after coming up short against ‘The Cobra’ on both occasions.
Standing in his way is Vegas-based Swede Badou Jack (19-1-1), who upset the previously unbeaten Anthony Dirrell to take the WBC title back in April. Groves is generally priced as a 4/7 favourite for this weekend’s fight – but there could be a bit of value in backing him to not just win, but win in style.
Although he is a superb technical boxer, quick of foot and fist, Groves may not fancy his chances of getting the nod from the judges against the home favourite, even if he does control the fight.
The fact that Jack is part of the Mayweather Promotions stable, on a big Floyd Mayweather bill, diminishes this prospect yet further. If you don’t believe me, ask Miguel Vazquez.
Back in September, on the undercard of the second Mayweather-Maidana fight, the Mexican appeared to have got the better of a close lightweight world title fight with American Mickey Bey after a tough 12 rounds. When the judges’ scorecards were read out two judges had it 115-113 – one for Vazquez, one for Bey. The third deciding scorecard had Bey winning by a landslide, 119-109, to give him a split decision win.
Mickey Bey is part of the Mayweather Promotions stable. Groves will be mindful of such decisions, and he will also be aware that he is going in with a guy who, just three fights prior to his victory over Dirrell, was sparked out in the first round by relative unknown Derek Edwards.
People may point to the fact that Groves also suffered a horrific eighth round knockout at the hands of Froch in their second meeting at Wembley Stadium - but that was against one of the best fighters in the division over the past decade.
By his own admission, the punch that floored Groves was the best of Froch’s distinguished career. Derek Edwards, meanwhile, has lost five of his last eight fights, with that demolition job on Jack the only win on his record since 2012.
Power could be the key this weekend, and both Jack and Groves can clearly bang. Jack has 12 knockouts from his 19 wins, while 16 of Groves’s 19 wins have been early finishes. However, Groves has been in with a higher calibre of opponent. The fact that he put Froch on the floor in the first round of 2013 war in Manchester shows exactly how devastating a puncher he can be.
Froch is generally regarded as having one of the toughest chins ever seen in the noble art, with Jermaine Taylor the only other man to put ‘The Cobra’ on the canvas. Yet his legs were like jelly at the Phones4U Arena, and Froch was also wobbled several more times before regrouping to force a controversial ninth round stoppage.
I can see ‘The Saint’ catching Jack with a big right hand and bringing back awful memories of the defeat to Edwards. He is best priced at 13/8 with Coral to win by KO/TKO. Groves has had some stamina issues in the latter stages of fights during his career, most notably against Froch and also in his 2011 victory over James DeGale, so backing him to get the job done in decent time might be worth a punt.
I like the 9/1 offered by Bet365 for the Londoner to win between the rounds of 4-6, while the 6-1 on offer for rounds 7-9 is also tempting.
THE odds on a Floyd Mayweather win are clearly prohibitive but, like Groves, I believe there’s a chance the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world could record a first win within the distance since his controversial stoppage of Victor Ortiz four years ago.
Perhaps this is why he chose Andre Berto (30-3-0) to be his 49th opponent. What other reason could there be for fighting a guy who has lost three of his last six fights? Haitian Berto was boxing’s bright new thing back in 2010 but has come up short when in with some of the big boys of the welterweight division. An at-times reckless come-forward fighter who packs a decent dig, he would appear to be made for Mayweather.
‘Pretty Boy’ is not a devastating puncher by any stretch of the imagination, but then either is Robert Guerrero and he dropped Berto in the first and second round of their 2012 brawl. Jesus Soto Karass is hardly a household name yet he stopped Berto two years ago.
After a string of points victories, this could the night when Mayweather closes the show in style. He is a best-priced 13/8 with Skybet to win by KO/TKO, with Ladbrokes offering 4/1 on ‘Pretty Boy’ to stop Berto between rounds 7-12.
THE first big Manchester United-Liverpool meeting of the season takes place on Saturday evening, and the chances are it could be a dour affair if early season form is anything to go by.
Despite a big-spending summer – particularly for the Red Devils – neither side has caught the imagination in the opening weeks, with goalscoring proving a particular problem. Liverpool have scored just two goals in their four Barclays Premier League games so far, and one of those was offside (Christian Benteke’s winner in Liverpool’s less-than-impressive win over Bournemouth).
Brendan Rodgers’s side conceded 11 goals in the final four games of last season, but they appear to have steadied the ship defensively – or at least that appeared to be the case until they were caught napping by West Ham in a shock 3-0 reversal at Anfield. In their opening three games, though, Simon Mignolet recorded clean sheets against Stoke, the Cherries and Arsenal.
United have been similarly tight at the back, the two goals Swansea scored en route to victory at the Liberty Stadium are the only ones Louis van Gaal’s men have conceded in four league games. The possible return between the sticks of David de Gea can only help their cause defensively, as Sergio Romero hardly inspires confidence.
Like Liverpool, it is in the final third where United have malfunctioned. Outside of the seven goals registered against Club Brugge in their Champions League qualifier, they have struggled to create decent chances, never mind score goals.
Coming off the international break, particularly the one directly after the transfer window when teams welcome new signings, it can take time for teams to find their stride.
Therefore, I have to fancy a 0-0 draw at the weekend, with the 9/1 offered by Bet365 very tempting. If you want to play it safe and just back the draw, 5/2 is on offer with most bookmakers.
TAKE A PUNT
George Groves to win by KO/TKO/disqualification – 13/8 (Coral)
George Groves to win between rounds 4-6– 9/1 (Bet365)
Floyd Mayweather to win by KO/TKO/disqualification – 13/8 (Skybet)
Floyd Mayweather to win between rounds 7-12 – 4/1 (Ladbrokes)
Manchester United v Liverpool to draw – 5/2 (various)
Manchester v Liverpool to finish 0-0 – 9/1 (Bet365)
