Groves in Drago-style statement to Froch

Any hardcore boxing fan will remember Rocky IV fondly. Ahead of the much anticipated re-bout between George Groves and Carl Froch, it seems the former is giving everyone an excuse to tune in.

In a comment similar to Rocky’s opponent – the man mountain in the mould of Russian body-builder Ivan Drago, portrayed by Dolph Lundgren, who famously said “I will break you”, Groves has his own take.

With similar conviction Groves said of Froch: “I will end him”.

There are just days left until the big fight in front of 78 000 at Wembley Stadium, and Groves is ramping the tension up a gear. Having previously questioned Froch’s psychological state, the Londoner has now gone straight for the jugular.

He is, however, the underdog at 11/8 to win the fight outright, while Nottingham native Froch is odds-on favourite at 8/13.

Groves’ odds to win on points, though, have gone from 3/1 to 4/1 in little over a week, perhaps as a result of this chilling utterance.

Three time world champion Froch is taking on Groves for the first time since the controversial ninth round stoppage that handed victory to ‘the Cobra’.

It is something that the Groves camp hasn’t got over, and the boxer himself is determined to show everyone that it was a fluke.

Groves is confident that Froch will retire if he is beaten and said: “That is up to Carl, but if I was a betting man I’d say this will be the end.

“He talks about his stellar career, he talks about his legacy, he talks like a man who is at the end of his career and has had enough of the fight game.

“Probably pride, probably money, probably temptation, probably ego prevented him from retiring off the back of the last fight.

“He is involved in what has been billed as the biggest fight in British history so I’m sure he is happy with that.

“But once I beat him on Saturday night then he can start talking about legacy again, like real legacy is when you are gone and forgotten.”