GEORGIE Groves reckons he is ready for a world title shot – despite what his trainer says.
The Hammersmith super-middleweight champion will soon get the chance to prove Adam Booth wrong after winning the right to fight holder Robert Stieglitz for the World Boxing Organisation crown.
The 23 year-old was made mandatory challenger by the WBO, and with Stieglitz’s German promoters getting the nod to stage the £500,000 fight on Monday, the course is set for Groves to become the first west Londoner to win a world title since Paddington’s Terry Downes’ historic middleweight battle against Paul Pender in 1961.
The fall-out from Monday’s news, however, was the abandonment of Friday night's British defence of Groves’ belt at Wembley Arena when he pulled up injured a few hours after the WBO announcement.
An unspecified injury relayed from the Hammersmith man’s camp brought howls of indignation from challenger Kenny Anderson.
But Groves has eyes on the main prize and a chance to become one of the immortals.
“You know what trainers are like,’ said the west Londoner. “Adam wants to be protective and do what he thinks is best for me.
“But I think you take what you can get when it comes along, and I’m improving all the time. I know the power is there, and the timing is just getting better and better.
“I’m more of an accomplished fighter than ever, and I can be patient or come on strong whichever one is required.”
Groves has promised to give Anderson a first defence by way of mollification should the former Dale Youth and ABA champion beat Stieglitz.
“I truly apologise to everyone who has spent money and made plans around getting to the fight,” he added. “I really don't want to compromise myself and under-performing because I am not 100 percent fit.
“All clouds have a silver lining and although I have really worked hard to get ready for this fight that won't happen this week, I’m sure it will happen down the line.”
The rest of the Wembley show was also cancelled heralding disappointment for Paddington’s Gary Corcoran and Hayes’ Steve O’Meara, due to fight on the undercard in separate bouts.
