LONDON: British boxer George Groves said he cannot wait to get to Jeddah and in the ring with compatriot Callum Smith after it was announced the pair’s World Boxing Super Series (WBSS) final would take place at the King Abdullah Sports City in the Saudi Arabian city on Sept. 28.
In what will represent Groves’ third WBA title defense and Smith’s first fight for a world title, both will also fight to get their hands on the Muhammad Ali trophy.
As Arab News reported yesterday, venues in Manchester, the Midlands and London were considered for the most significant British fight outside of the heavyweight division in 2018, but Jeddah has since been selected having previously secured the rights to stage a WBSS final.
The cruiserweight competition that concluded with victory for Oleksandr Usyk over Murat Gassiev in Moscow on Saturday was scheduled to be staged in Jeddah in May and had been billed as “The Road to Jeddah” until an elbow injury suffered by Usyk forced the fight’s postponement and contributed to its relocation to Moscow.
Groves-Smith is perhaps a fight that has superior mainstream appeal — the champion has previously fought for a world title in Las Vegas, in front of a then-record 78,000-strong crowd against Carl Froch at Wembley Stadium in 2014, and also attracted widespread interest in defeating Jamie Cox and then Chris Eubank Jr. to reach September’s final.
His participation had been in doubt until May, when he was finally passed fit having in February against Eubank Jr. dislocated his shoulder. Eubank Jr., incidentally, is understood to be remaining on standby to replace either finallist should they suffer an injury that forces their withdrawal before then.
While Groves’ injury had contributed to the previous uncertainty surrounding a date and location, he had made little secret of the increasing frustration he felt while awaiting confirmation, but the 30-year-old said: “It’s fantastic news that we now have a confirmed date and location for the final.
“I’m incredibly excited that the fight has been formally confirmed to take place in Jeddah. I’m excited and sure this final will eclipse every WBSS fight to date for excitement and drama.
“I have been in camp for a while already but am now looking forward to stepping the training up now that the date’s been set.”
Liverpool’s promising Smith, 28, is one of four brothers who box, and he hopes to become the second, after Liam, to win a world title. He defeated Erik Skoglund and Nieky Holzken to secure his place in Jeddah, and he said: “It has been a long time since my semifinal win over Holzken.
“But the most important thing to me is that my opponent is George Groves. It means that by the end of September I have the chance to be the WBA champion and the No. 1 super middleweight in the world. I believe I will do it.
“I am excited to be part of such a big night of boxing. It began with the red carpet treatment (at the competition’s draw) in Monaco and will end with more of the same in Jeddah.”
WBSS promoter Kalle Sauerland, who is also Groves’ long-term promoter, had previously compared the prospect of a high-profile world title fight being staged in Jeddah with the Rumble in the Jungle, the world heavyweight tile fight in 1974 between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman in Zaire.
The General Sports Authority of Saudi Arabia has been investing to bring further sports events, including WWE and the Italian Super Cup, to the region, and Sauerland explained: “The super-middleweight final in Saudi Arabia, where the Muhammad Ali name and legacy is so revered, has all the ingredients to capture the world on a stage not normally associated with boxing.
“Groves versus Smith is an incredible match-up between two proven gladiators, two rivals; it’s certainly a final not to be missed.”