Richard Schaefer’s fifty million dollar pair of tournaments has filled a fourth spot with newly WBA super middleweight titlist George Groves. The cruiserweight tournament has three of its eight spots filled, but Groves was the first super middleweight to sign on. So far the promised high level talent does seem to be showing up.
George Groves (26-3, 19 KOs) won his belt just last month by stopping former titlist Fedor Chudinov of Russia. The fight was really entertaining along the way with Groves separating himself over the last couple rounds on route to an impressive stoppage victory. The fourth time was the charm for the English fighter as he was previously 0-3 in world title bouts.
Groves is an excellent start for the super middleweight bracket. Hopefully other top fighters follow him into the tournament. No other super middleweights have been officially added, but recently unretired Mikkel Kessler and unbeaten Swedish prospect/fringe contender Erik Skoglund have been expressing interest.
The three previously announced cruiserweights are IBF titlist Murat Gassiev (24-0, 17 KOs), WBC titlist Mairis Briedis (22-0, 18 KOs), and former titlist Krzysztof Wlodarczyk (53-3-1, 37 KOs). Gassiev and Briedis are especially exciting as they are unbeaten, top five fighters in the division. Wlodarczyk is a good addition too, but more so for the bottom half of the bracket as he is in the latter stages of his career.
Announcements should continue coming too as the announced late September, early October window for the first round is a getting closer every day. If all goes according to plan, the second rounds will be fought in the first month or so of next year and the finals will be in May.
