On Friday night in the desert of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, a Hammersmith local and Liverpool native will clash for the right to call themselves the greatest super-middleweight on the planet. It seems a strange idea that two British stars would go to war not only 6,770km away from home, but in a nation with no boxing pedigree whatsoever.
Groves places his WBA (Super) strap on the line against Smith, with the Ring Magazine belt up also for grabs for the winner in the World Boxing Super Series final. Groves-Smith should be a domestic blockbuster, an all-British rivalry that not only offers bragging rights, but the title of being the divisions undisputed king.
More: Boxing
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It could have sold out Fulhams Craven Cottage or packed out the Manchester Arena, Londons O2 or Liverpools Echo Arena. It would have sold out in any major venue across the UK, and it would have been an electric, feverish atmosphere. Groves semi-final against Chris Eubank Jr was an example of how to make a domestic clash an even bigger event by placing it in the right location. It was not a prestigious clash, but it attracted the gaze of the boxing public who were eager to see which Brit barked and which one bit.
Not only will many of the eyes watching Groves and Smith dance on Friday night have little to no clue who the fighters are, the fights significance is also diluted. It is the first pro boxing event ever staged in Saudi Arabia. The WBSS and their partners have themselves made a big deal out of breaking new ground in Saudi Arabia, so it doesnt require a huge amount of deduction to guess theres is little to no market there in the present day.
The real issues is, its a real shame WBSS has decided to use Groves-Smith as the fight to break new ground in Jeddah. It should have been a stand-out event in the British boxing calendar, and would certainly have been billed as the most prestigious domestic encounter of 2018. It is not often, in fact its almost never, that two British fighters compete for a Ring Magazine belt. Instead WBSS shareholders, Comosa AG, took the money on offer from Saudi Arabia. Groves and Smith have not bothered to hide their disappointment, but Kalle Sauerland insisted the tournament would continue to travel.
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We believe this is a global tournament, he said. If it was Tottenham versus Liverpool in the Champions League final it would have still been in Kiev this season, it wouldnt have been in Birmingham or in Liverpool or in North London, it would still take place in Kiev. Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier went to the Philippines and delivered Thrilla in Manila in 1975, the previous year Ali fought George Foreman in Zaire, a fight which earned the nickname Rumble in the Jungle.
Its feasible Groves-Smith could produce a similar classic in a far off land, but if its a routine win for either man, one will have to wonder how much momentum for the WBSS, and legacy for the fighters, was lost in the desert.
Smith and Groves, although brilliant fighters in their own right, do not have a global audience appeal. Groves encounters with Carl Froch are by some distance the most successful fight nights hes been involved with. Smiths draw has taken a hit in the last two years after being continually overlooked for world title tilts. Coverage of the event is also affected by the location, which understandably takes a hit with many unable to travel, or justify travelling, to Jeddah.
Chatting with other journalists during Anthony Joshua fight week there was a quick check on who was going. I was surprised when one asked if I was going to Jeddah. No, I replied, Im not allowed attend as a woman. Another journo chirped in, No you can, as long as you have a male escort. Oh fantastic, thats much better – let me book my ticket.
The ugliest aspect of Groves-Smith in Jeddah is Saudi Arabias strict policing of womens freedom. The ban on women attending sporting events in Saudi Arabia was only lifted this year. Women are still required to sit in segregated seating and arrive through separate entry points. Groves expressed concern about his wife not being able to attend, a woman who has missed just one of her husbands 31 pro fights.
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We have a lot of female members of our team and I have been told there will be no problem with them travelling down there, said Sauerland. We have boxers wives and girlfriends coming. There are obviously local customs that must be respected but there will be no problems. I am responsible for both sides and they both have big teams and groups of friends and family coming. We are problem free. When Sauerland says local customs, he means laws that instruct women how to act, dress and behave.
Women can enter just three sport stadiums in Saudi Arabia, Jeddahs Indoor Arena at the King Abdullah Sports City, where Groves and Smith will fight at, is one of those venues. As a woman working in boxing, I do not think the community, promoters or fighters should be conducting business in a space that marginalizes and subjugates women. Its a bad look. A better look would have been Groves and Smith stepping out into a rammed Manchester Arena to a wall of sound, directed at them by both men and women.
Sauerland and co got it right with Oleksandr Usyk vs Murat Gassiev Usyk in Russia. Gassiev, a Russian, fought in front of his home fans against a Ukrainian fighter. Russia itself has questionable human rights issues, but at the very least the location made sense. Groves-Smith in Jeddah makes as much as sense as Katie Taylor in Kenya. Its disappointing because what should be a great fight is flying under the radar.
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Groves-Smith can be a cracker, and thats what the WBSS are counting on to justify taking two Brits for a punch-up in the sand.
MORE: George Groves vs Callum Smith UK time, date, TV channel, live stream, undercard and odds
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On Friday night in the desert of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, a Hammersmith local and Liverpool native will clash for the right to call themselves the greatest super-middleweight on the planet. It seems a strange idea that two British stars would go to war not only 6,770km away from home, but in a nation with no boxing pedigree whatsoever.
Groves places his WBA (Super) strap on the line against Smith, with the Ring Magazine belt up also for grabs for the winner in the World Boxing Super Series final. Groves-Smith should be a domestic blockbuster, an all-British rivalry that not only offers bragging rights, but the title of being the divisions undisputed king.
More: Boxing
Advertisement Advertisement
It could have sold out Fulhams Craven Cottage or packed out the Manchester Arena, Londons O2 or Liverpools Echo Arena. It would have sold out in any major venue across the UK, and it would have been an electric, feverish atmosphere. Groves semi-final against Chris Eubank Jr was an example of how to make a domestic clash an even bigger event by placing it in the right location. It was not a prestigious clash, but it attracted the gaze of the boxing public who were eager to see which Brit barked and which one bit.
Not only will many of the eyes watching Groves and Smith dance on Friday night have little to no clue who the fighters are, the fights significance is also diluted. It is the first pro boxing event ever staged in Saudi Arabia. The WBSS and their partners have themselves made a big deal out of breaking new ground in Saudi Arabia, so it doesnt require a huge amount of deduction to guess theres is little to no market there in the present day.
The real issues is, its a real shame WBSS has decided to use Groves-Smith as the fight to break new ground in Jeddah. It should have been a stand-out event in the British boxing calendar, and would certainly have been billed as the most prestigious domestic encounter of 2018. It is not often, in fact its almost never, that two British fighters compete for a Ring Magazine belt. Instead WBSS shareholders, Comosa AG, took the money on offer from Saudi Arabia. Groves and Smith have not bothered to hide their disappointment, but Kalle Sauerland insisted the tournament would continue to travel.
Advertisement Advertisement
We believe this is a global tournament, he said. If it was Tottenham versus Liverpool in the Champions League final it would have still been in Kiev this season, it wouldnt have been in Birmingham or in Liverpool or in North London, it would still take place in Kiev. Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier went to the Philippines and delivered Thrilla in Manila in 1975, the previous year Ali fought George Foreman in Zaire, a fight which earned the nickname Rumble in the Jungle.
Its feasible Groves-Smith could produce a similar classic in a far off land, but if its a routine win for either man, one will have to wonder how much momentum for the WBSS, and legacy for the fighters, was lost in the desert.
Smith and Groves, although brilliant fighters in their own right, do not have a global audience appeal. Groves encounters with Carl Froch are by some distance the most successful fight nights hes been involved with. Smiths draw has taken a hit in the last two years after being continually overlooked for world title tilts. Coverage of the event is also affected by the location, which understandably takes a hit with many unable to travel, or justify travelling, to Jeddah.
Chatting with other journalists during Anthony Joshua fight week there was a quick check on who was going. I was surprised when one asked if I was going to Jeddah. No, I replied, Im not allowed attend as a woman. Another journo chirped in, No you can, as long as you have a male escort. Oh fantastic, thats much better – let me book my ticket.
The ugliest aspect of Groves-Smith in Jeddah is Saudi Arabias strict policing of womens freedom. The ban on women attending sporting events in Saudi Arabia was only lifted this year. Women are still required to sit in segregated seating and arrive through separate entry points. Groves expressed concern about his wife not being able to attend, a woman who has missed just one of her husbands 31 pro fights.
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We have a lot of female members of our team and I have been told there will be no problem with them travelling down there, said Sauerland. We have boxers wives and girlfriends coming. There are obviously local customs that must be respected but there will be no problems. I am responsible for both sides and they both have big teams and groups of friends and family coming. We are problem free. When Sauerland says local customs, he means laws that instruct women how to act, dress and behave.
Women can enter just three sport stadiums in Saudi Arabia, Jeddahs Indoor Arena at the King Abdullah Sports City, where Groves and Smith will fight at, is one of those venues. As a woman working in boxing, I do not think the community, promoters or fighters should be conducting business in a space that marginalizes and subjugates women. Its a bad look. A better look would have been Groves and Smith stepping out into a rammed Manchester Arena to a wall of sound, directed at them by both men and women.
Sauerland and co got it right with Oleksandr Usyk vs Murat Gassiev Usyk in Russia. Gassiev, a Russian, fought in front of his home fans against a Ukrainian fighter. Russia itself has questionable human rights issues, but at the very least the location made sense. Groves-Smith in Jeddah makes as much as sense as Katie Taylor in Kenya. Its disappointing because what should be a great fight is flying under the radar.
Advertisement
Groves-Smith can be a cracker, and thats what the WBSS are counting on to justify taking two Brits for a punch-up in the sand.
MORE: George Groves vs Callum Smith UK time, date, TV channel, live stream, undercard and odds
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