Boxing: Groves’ trainer furious with referee

George Groves v Carl Froch referee stop

Share this story






Claim your Bonus
Get 100% up to SGD100 Bonus on your First Deposit

George Groves’ trainer Paddy Fitzpatrick was fuming at the call by referee Howard Foster to stop Saturday’s world title fight against Carl Froch.

Halfway through the ninth round, Groves came under some heavy pressure from Froch and Foster stopped the fight in controversial circumstances.

The fans in attendance and watching at home believed that Groves deserved to prove he could carry on. The super-middleweight had shocked everyone when he dropped Froch in the first round with a superbly timed right-hand.

Groves continued to back up the bullish statements he made before the fight by meeting Froch in the middle of the ring and winning the exchanges.

Fitzpatrick, who replaced Adam Booth as his trainer, is adamant that something should be done about the decision.

He told Sky Sports: “The referee has interfered with two men earning their living. He said George was hurt – this is two men hitting each other. If he stopped it because he got hurt why didn’t he stop it the seven or eight times Carl got hurt.

“You can’t have referees conducting themselves in people’s lives unprofessionally. We’re not going to overturn history or change the outcome of the fight, the two men as fighters were acting like fighters, I haven’t got a problem with them – I have got a problem with the refereeing.

“This is a business and how somebody earns a living. If we continually leave it to them (referees) they will continually do the same thing. So something has to be done.

“I’m an ignorant man, but I will pay to find out the laws and get it done.”

Leave a comment