Fast Results From Saudi Arabia: Callum Smith TKOs George Groves

The King Abdullah Sports City on the outskirts of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, was the site of the World Boxing Super Series season 1 finale. In a fight that attracted considerable buzz in the U.K., Liverpool’s Callum Smith, a slight underdog, stopped London’s George Groves in the seventh frame. Smith (25-0, 19 KOs) wins the coveted Muhammad Ali trophy, presented to him by Ali’s daughter Rasheda, the lion’s share of the purse, and Groves’ WBA “super” world super middleweight title.

At six-foot-three, Smith was three-and-half-inches taller than Groves and had a six-inch longer reach. In the early rounds, he was successful in keeping Groves at the end of his stick. In the action-packed third round, the Liverpudlian landed the harder punch, wobbling Groves with a sharp right counter after a lusty exchange.

Rounds 4-6 were close, but Groves seemed to get the best of it and it appeared the bout was headed to the scorecards. But in round 7, a straight right hand from Smith knocked Groves on his heels. He followed it up with a flurry of punches that backed Groves against the ropes and then relentlessly pounded away as Groves slumped to the canvas, unable to beat the count.

Groves, the top seed, advanced to the finals back in February with a 12-round unanimous decision over Chris Eubank Jr. In that contest, however, he suffered a dislocated shoulder that required surgery. Groves showed no ill effects of the injury tonight, but was troubled by Smith’s jolting left jab. With the defeat, he declined to 28-4.

Groves was gracious in defeat. “It’s just not meant to be,” he said. “Full credit to Callum…I’m not here to make excuses, the shoulder worked. Callum was the better man on the night. For someone like me, that’s tough to say. I can only be honest. I’m not retiring. I don’t know what’s next.”

In the semi wind-up, the aforementioned Eubank, who had been inactive since losing to Groves, hoped to get in some rounds against former sparring partner J.J. McDonagh, but McDonagh pulled out after the third frame claiming a shoulder injury. Eubank, who knocked his Irish adversary down in the opening round, had the fight well in hand.

Amir Khan was on the ITV broadcast and used his platform to reiterate his desire to fight Manny Pacquiao. Khan suggested that a deal was imminent.

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