Carl Froch knocked out George Groves in their rematch at Wembley Stadium on this day in 2014 as the Nottingham fighter retained his WBA and IBF super-middleweight titles.
Froch added to his victory in the initial bout in Manchester the previous November, in which he had recovered from a first-round knockdown and terrible start to stop Groves controversially in the ninth.
This time he finished the contest with a breathtaking eighth-round punch which knocked Groves out in front of a crowd of 80,000.
Froch said afterwards: “I showed tonight why I’m a four-time champion of the world, why I’ve defended my world title 13 times on the spin.
“I am amongst the best fighters in the world – that’s who George Groves was in there with tonight.
“The finish of that (fight) showed why I’ve mixed with the elite for many years and how hard it is to get to that level.”
He added: “I am feeling unbelievably elated. This is the best moment in the history of my boxing career.”
Groves made a solid start to the contest which began cagily, with neither fighter wanting to give anything away. Froch was patient, waiting for his opening and Groves struggled to keep pace as the fight wore on.
“I knew it was only going to take a couple of big right hands to the chin and I timed it perfectly,” Froch said.
Groves said: “It’s boxing and fair play to Carl, he caught me and I went down. Obviously I felt I was doing very well in the fight, I was in my groove and I was boxing well but it’s boxing.
“I’ll come back bigger, better and stronger. Ultimately I feel like I let myself down but congratulations to Carl, fair play, he got the punch.”
It proved the last fight for Froch – aged 36 at the time – before retirement, with him hanging up his gloves with a professional record of 35 bouts, 33 wins and two defeats, 24 of the victories coming by knockout.
Manchester United reunion ‘not about me’ – Mark Robins
Mark Robins insists his FA Cup reunion with Manchester United should not distract from his Coventry side’s own dreams of Wembley glory.
Robins was a predecessor to the fabled ‘Class of 92’ at Old Trafford, but the glory years of David Beckham, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Gary Neville may have looked a lot different were it not for his efforts.
His match-winning goal in the third-round match against Nottingham Forest in 1990 is widely credited with keeping Sir Alex Ferguson in a job, and he was a late substitute as the Red Devils beat Crystal Palace in the final to kick off a trophy-laden golden era.
On Sunday he finds himself back at the national stadium in an FA Cup semi-final, with the fate of another United manager – the under-pressure Erik ten Hag – potentially in his hands.
Yet the 54-year-old has been happy to leave the past in the past and has not been bending his squad’s ears with tales of times gone by.
“Absolutely not. They were all born after 1990, so none of them (know about it),” he said on the eve of the game.
“I don’t speak about things like that. It doesn’t matter what I did, I just talk about them. This is totally different and management is totally different to playing.
“It’s not about me, it’s all about the players and the preparation and how they can execute against a top, top team.
“These players have got an aspiration to play in the Premier League so for me, for them, it’s a chance to see how they perform, regardless of anything else around the game.”
Robins lays no claim to the disputed version of events that paints him as the reason for sparing the most dominant manager of his generation the sack, but can still be tempted into some mild nostalgia.
“In fairness I was substitute in a cup final 34 years ago, a brilliant occasion for us as Manchester United. It was fantastic,” he said.
“There were only two substitutes in those days so to get on the bench in the first place, when there was a lot of talented individuals who didn’t make it, puts it into perspective. I’d just broken into the squad and played a part in the run up to the final.
“It’s part of my experience, it’s part of my footballing background, but it was a long, long time ago.”
One of the Sky Blues players players hoping to make some cup memories of their own is 18-goal striker Ellis Simms. A childhood Manchester City fan, Simms scored twice in the dramatic quarter-final victory over Wolves including the decisive strike in the 10th minute of added time.
He confirmed Robins has kept his own playing days firmly in the background in the build-up to a match that represents a career high for many in the Coventry squad, but believes his efforts in the dugout should be receiving greater attention.
“It was obviously a few years ago, probably before my time, but I’ve heard bits of it,” Simms said of Robins’ FA Cup success.
“He’s very humble, but we know he was a top player back in the day. Now it’s about us as players but he’s going to do everything he can to help us.
“He should get more praise than he does. Getting us this far in the competition, the majority of people didn’t think we would get this far so it’s massive credit to him.”
Jack Grealish: FA Cup semi-final the perfect game to ‘put right’ European exit
Jack Grealish believes Saturday’s FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea gives Manchester City the perfect opportunity to put their Champions League agony behind them.
City’s hopes of successfully defending their European crown – and winning a second successive treble – were shattered on Wednesday as they were beaten by Real Madrid on penalties.
The defeat was particularly galling given that City had dominated the second leg of the quarter-final tie at the Etihad Stadium, but they have little time to dwell on their misfortune.
Attention has immediately shifted to Wembley and a key clash in City’s bid to retain one of the other two trophies they won in glorious fashion last season.
Midfielder Grealish said: “We’ve not been used to losing, especially in the last couple of years. We always knew it was going to be a tough game against one of the best teams in the world.
“It went down to penalties and it’s never nice to go out on penalties. Luckily enough for us we’ve got another game within three days where we can go and put it right.
“Sometimes it’s better when it’s like that. It’s better when you can put it right straight away rather than waiting and dwelling on it for a couple of weeks.
“It’s the perfect game for us to put it right.”
As well as being favourites for the FA Cup, City have put themselves in a strong position to win the Premier League for a fourth year in succession and a sixth time in seven years.
Grealish said: “This year, if we win the Premier League and the FA Cup it would be a hugely successful season. Hopefully we can go on and do that and that’s our aim.”
It has been a frustrating campaign in a personal sense for Grealish, although he has regained form and his place in the side in recent games.
The 28-year-old England international, who excelled in the treble-winning season, struggled to find consistency after an injury in the autumn and was then hindered by further fitness issues.
“It’s been difficult,” he said. “Especially on the back of last year, I had such a good season.
“At the moment, I feel good and I feel confident. At the start of the season, I don’t know, I just didn’t feel like I was playing well really. I didn’t really feel that fit if I’m honest.
“But I feel good now. I feel fit and I feel like I’m playing with good confidence. Hopefully I can bring that into the end of the season.
“We’ve still got a lot to play for. The season is nowhere near over yet. I still feel like I’ve got a big part to play.”
Grealish spoke recently about his determination to repay manager Pep Guardiola for guiding him through his difficult spell and he remains keen to deliver for the City boss.
He said: “I’ve got a really good relationship with him. I’ve said before that he’s the best manager in the world, in my opinion.
“I’ve had my own problems, even off the pitch, and he’s always spoken to me and been there for me.
“Hopefully, I can help him and he can help me towards the end of the season.”
Jerone Ennis impresses in professional debut with first-round knockout
Jamaican boxer Jerone "Beast" Ennis made a memorable transition from amateur standout to professional prospect with a commanding victory in his debut fight on Saturday night at the Pickering Casino Resort. Ennis, a two-time Caribbean Amateur Champion, showcased his skills and promise by knocking out his Argentinian opponent Marcelo Adrian Fernandez (4-3-1) at 1:51 into the first round of their scheduled four-round contest in the light-heavyweight division.
Ennis wasted no time in displaying his pedigree, exhibiting poise, ring intelligence, and superior technique early in the fight. His chief-cornerman, Ryan "RG" Grant, commended Ennis's performance, stating, "He performed real well, he is a real promising talent coming out of Jamaica. I like that he's a thinker in there and he's got good eyes, looking and seeing his spots to land and to move on defense."
The turning point came when Ennis unleashed a powerful overhand right that sent Fernandez crashing to the canvas, beating the referee's 10-count only to face a relentless barrage of punches from Ennis. The onslaught forced the referee to intervene, awarding Ennis a TKO victory at 1:51 of the first round.
Ennis's victory was significant, as he became the first boxer to stop Marcelo Adrian Fernandez in the opening round of any fight. President of United Boxing Promotions, Tyler Buxton, expressed his satisfaction with Ennis's debut performance, highlighting the promising future ahead for the young Jamaican prospect.
Fellow countryman and stablemate Kemahl "Hitman" Russell praised Ennis's debut, stating, "He did what he was expected to do, the formula worked - training in Jamaica and showing up and proving on the big stage. He has a bright future."
Looking ahead, Ryan Grant emphasized the importance of keeping Ennis active in the ring without any setbacks, indicating high expectations for the rising star.
Born on February 4, 2000, in Denham Town, Kingston, Jamaica, Jerone Ennis represented Jamaica at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, U.K., reaching the quarter-final stage before making his professional debut. Ennis joins an esteemed roster of Jamaican fighters under United Boxing Promotions, including heavyweight Ricardo "Big 12" Brown, middleweight Kemahl "The Hitman" Russell, super welterweight Joshua "HellRazor" Frazer, and super middleweight Shakeel "The Jamaican Juggernaut" Phinn.
Jerone Ennis's successful professional debut marks the beginning of an exciting chapter in his boxing career, with aspirations of achieving further milestones and making a significant impact on the international stage.
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