In the World Boxing Super Series sixth quarterfinal fight, the third in super middleweight division, WBA titleholder George Groves will defend his title at home against unbeaten fellow countryman Jamie Cox. The winner will move on to face Chris Eubank Jr in the semifinals sometime at the beginning of next year.
After three previous failed attempts, George Groves (26-3, 19 KOs) finally broke through and won his belt in May over Fedor Chudinov. That was a really fun, back and forth fight in which Groves battered the Russian ex-titlist in the fifth and sixth rounds to force a stoppage. Previously the London fighter had lost twice to Carl Froch, once controversially and once cleanly, and also to Badou Jack in a toss up decision.
Jamie Cox (24-0, 13 KOs) has fought no where near this level. In truth, he hasn’t even come close to coming close to fighting on this level. His best win to date has been against guys well outside the top 25 like Lewis Taylor, Obodai Sai, or maybe the guy Cox got jail time for assaulting in 2010 outside a bar. I assume he won that fight. Cox also got in trouble and briefly convicted last year for threatening his “Russian ex-exotic dancer” of a girlfriend with violence, but that got tossed eventually.
Cox is a defensively liable fighter with decent looking offense, but an attack that seems to lack any real power. He has also come all the way up from welterweight in his career while Groves has fought at super middleweight for the entirety of his. He doesn’t even have general life Karma on his side. Jamie Cox is going to be pretty easy for George Groves to find and he isn’t likely going to be able to discourage the titleholder with his own work. For my money, this is a total mismatch.
The winner, aka George Groves, will move on to an awesome fight with Chris Eubank Jr early next year next in the World Boxing Super Series semifinals. ITV Box Office has the fight for a fee in the UK while the barely available Audience Network has it in the US. We’ll probably have to find other means, my fellow Americans.
