Carl Froch believes his world super-middleweight boxing title defence against George Groves in Manchester tonight will go down alongside the great domestic grudge matches.
Froch has made no secret of his dislike for the unbeaten Groves in a fiery build-up to a fight which appears to have caught the public’s imagination despite the champion’s insistence Groves does not belong in the same ring.
The Nottingham 36-year-old believes the fight’s popularity is due less to the challenge Groves brings to the table and more because the British public have always relished a good-guy, bad-guy clash.
Casting himself firmly in the former category, Froch, who will put his WBA and IBF titles on the line, told Press Association: “Groves is British and he’s horrible and I don’t think anybody likes him, which always helps make a fight big.
“It’s goodie versus baddie and I’m willing to be the good guy. George Groves has very much made himself the bad guy because of his disrespect and the way in which he’s conducted himself.”
Froch is convinced he is in for one of the easiest nights of his career against Groves and few could begrudge him a straight-forward assignment having sought out the best in the business during his five-year period in world-class company.
Groves brings a 19-fight unbeaten record to the table but arguably his most notable win remains a tight majority decision over James Degale in May 2011.
The Londoner, who is 11 years Froch’s junior, has been mocked by Froch for publicly revealing what he insists are his detailed plans to beat the champion, but claims he affords him plenty of respect.
Groves said: “Of course I respect him as a fighter, but he’s done his very best to try to tarnish my name and he’s just contradicted himself constantly he’s the only one being disrespectful in this fight. He wants me to come in and be nice and shake his hand and say can I be a friend afterwards and thanks for the opportunity, but the fact is I’ve shown up knowing I’m going to win and he’s struggled to live with that.”