INTERVIEW: George Groves Discusses Jake Paul & The Future Of Female Boxing

In an exclusive interview with Adventure Gamers, George Groves talks about the positive impact Jake Paul has had on boxing, fighters who should have retired by now and the future of female boxing.

Q: Let’s start with Gervonta Davis vs Jake Paul. What is Tank doing? Has he let himself down, has he let boxing down? What’s he thinking?

A: “I think he’s hit the lottery, hasn’t he? Everyone wanted that ticket to fight Jake Paul didn’t they? And he’s got it. Why has he got it? Probably because he’s half the size of Jake Paul. When Joshua was being mooted about, I was thinking, ‘surely not, surely he’s not gonna fight Anthony Joshua.’ Jake Paul had to be truly deluded to think he could beat AJ, just because Daniel Dubois did. Like no, watch what happens when Joshua boxes a non boxer.

“Francis Ngannou got flattened in a round and a half. I can imagine there’s a lot of ex-fighters out there, not myself included, because I didn’t throw my hat into the ring. When they heard Joshua was getting the call, they probably thought it could have been them!  But with the Tank fight, it might be a spectacle, but I haven’t broken down in my brain how I think this fight will pan out.”

Q: Amir Khan says Paul could seriously hurt Tank. Won’t Tank be too hard to hit?

A: “The thing is, there’s boxing and there’s boxing, isn’t there? And Jake Paul is a very good sort of white collar-esque boxer. He’s good and he looks good on the pads a bit, but the fine art of boxing, there’s levels to this game. Gervonta Davis might chin him. He doesn’t throw a lot of punches. He might be looking to slip and slide and wait. And that might be Jake Paul’s downfall. He might try and rush in. He might think he’s got Tank going. Then he might walk into one. But can Davis reach his chin? How tall is Jake Paul?”

There’s around an eight inch height difference, so he’ll be punching up. It will be like David Haye and Nikolai Valuev. 

Q: Do you think this fight will actually happen in November? Or could it be a bit of a publicity stunt from Tank to gain a few followers…

A: “I think Davis is bang up for the fight, I imagine. It’s gonna be a big promotion. And ultimately, when you add it all up, Jake Paul is good for boxing. He’s promoting now, isn’t he? He’s gone down the female boxing route. It feels like he’s promoting a lot of female boxing and he’s got a big presence. He gets people involved. He gets people invested. And he’s got Netflix at the table now, who are becoming a big broadcaster for boxing.”

Q: You said to us before that Jake Paul makes a mockery of boxing, are you changing your stance on him now? 

A: “I don’t think he’s interested in a real fight. And the fact that he tells everyone he’s a real boxer, he’s not and the British Boxing Board of Control, I doubt would sanction this fight, because of the weight difference. There’s weight classes for a reason if you think of it as a legitimate sport. So this is entertainment and he’s very good at entertainment. A large part of boxing is about entertainment. The fights that sell go ahead of the fights that don’t. The best vs the best doesn’t sell as well as one of the best against this huge name.”

Q: Do you think Tank is taking a bigger risk than Conor McGregor did against Floyd Mayweather? Because Jake Paul could land a big shot on him…

A: “I think Jake Paul might be a bit better now than he was when he fought Mayweather. I know he’s older, but he hasn’t exactly had a hard fight, so he might be a better boxer. And I think it’s purely size, isn’t it? Mayweather isn’t huge, but he’s bigger than Davis. So he’s got even more of an uphill slog in terms of the size. I think Davis will feel the power, getting hit by a 99+ kilo guy. But whether the technique is good enough for him to land and then go again. I doubt it.”

Q: What a performance from Moses Itauma against Dillian Whyte. Where do we go from here? Who do you want to see Moses fight next? 

A: “Moses is a tough one to match for me. Everyone who wants to fight him now probably wants to get paid mega money. He’s a main event fighter now, so who’d you match him with? Because. I’m trying to think about who the gatekeepers are, who the tough guys are before you go through to get to the top contenders.” There were shouts of Joe Parker. “I mean, Joe Parker’s pushing for a world title fight and I think the guys all around that sort of scene will be the same. So your Agit Kabayels and your Joe Parkers and guys like that. They’re gonna be pushing for that. You probably need a solid contender who’s maybe been beat like Zhilei Zhang or someone like that who you think is big and tough, maybe can take the heat for a bit, cause some problems and therefore Itauma has got to change and adapt and improve and we get to see a bit of a fight. That might be a problem for us fight fans because every time we tune in, there’s this new Mike Tyson and all of a sudden it’s over in 2 minutes! It might be the future, having multiple opponents in one night.”

Q: What about the hype in general about Moses? Do you think it’s in danger of getting a bit out of control with Mike Tyson comparisons?

A: “That’s the worry if you’re looking after a fighter that everyone is sort of building up to be the next big thing or the greatest thing, you don’t want it to go to his head. You want him to carry on working hard because Tyson took his eye off the ball and Buster Douglas busted him up! There’s plenty of examples of that happening over the years. So he wants to stay disciplined in the gym, believe in his ability and keep honing in on his craft. I think he’s an exceptional fighter and maybe there are still so many more improvements to come. His boxing IQ is brilliant, especially for a heavyweight. He’s got impeccable hand speed and he puts the shots together well. He glides across the ring and when he lands because they’re so fast and the timing of them is so good. They’re so hard and powerful. I thought he looked physically more mature with his shirt off against Dillian Whyte this time around. So maybe that’s still more to come where he’s gonna mature as an athlete. So that’s where I think the next improvement will probably come with Itauma.”

Q: Daniel Dubois vs Moses Itauma could be the next big British boxing fight that we see in the next year or two, surely? 

A: “Obviously Dubois’s got to come back to the drawing board and if those two fought now I’d probably pick Moses Itauma to beat him, even though he’s not got the same experience. But that’s how much I rate this guy.”

Q: Could we see a trilogy between Dillian Whyte and Derek Chisora for Chiora’s 50th and final fight? 

A: “Dillian Whyte he’s a cat amongst the pigeons, isn’t he? He’s a cat with more than nine lives. He’s come and come again and heavyweights live forever. I say that time and time and again, he might have another fight but he might have blown his chance to take on Anthony Joshua because he got busted just before their fight. But I thought he looked in good shape against Itauma. Ahead of this fight, he must have known it was going to be a hard fight for him. He pulled out of that other fight like with a days’ notice to sign up for the Itauma fight. So I’m sure there’s still a little bit left in his tank.”

Q: Joey Essex is the latest outsider to enter the world of boxing. He’s fighting a Portuguese influencer Numero on Saturday at MisFits 22, will you be tuning in?

A: “Yeah, why not? I saw a couple little clips and I haven’t seen an awful lot of Joey Essex but I know he’s related to Tony Simms, and a lot of these TOWIE guys are affiliated to boxing, most likely through Tony and his brother and the family. I don’t know much about the Portuguese influencer, I don’t know if he’s boxed before. Some of these MisFits fights are great, some of them are not so great. But I think some of them have just got the boxing bug and it is very white collar-esque. But you know their names and faces you can kind of get to know and recognise and therefore follow it. Someone like Elle Brooke, she trains like a pro, has a six pack now and she’s in the gym all the time. I haven’t seen her box, but I’m sure she’s come a long way since the first fight.”

Q: Canelo and Terence Crawford. Two and a half weeks away now. What’s your prediction at this stage?

A: “I don’t think I’ve got into the depth of paranoia when trying to make a prediction about the fight between these two just yet. Because when the fight was made, I was just like, yeah Crawford’s amazing, but Canelo’s too big. And Canelo isn’t finished just yet. There’s nothing about this fight that makes me think this is a bit of a ‘whatever fight’. I don’t think Canelo is on the slide, he’s just as good as ever. But Crawford backs himself. I’m sure he’ll have a game plan. Whether it works or not, he might be that bit sharper than Canelo’s used to. And I’m sure Crawford has been sitting at home for years now, wanting Canelo, thinking he can beat him. I still think Big Beast will win this fight, but I’m looking forward to it.”

Q: Neither fighter has ever been knocked down, so you can’t imagine this won’t go to the judges, however Turki is offering a bonus to anyone who does get the knockout. How do you feel about that? 

A: “I like the knockout bonuses. And I don’t like scorecards being read out halfway through a fight or with a few rounds to go. Because I can see how they’d think you would up the ante, but it doesn’t, if anything it would set panic in and change the opinion of what’s happened so far and everything else. But knockout bonuses, I think work. Do you think, have you ever seen, you know, yeah, neither guy’s been knocked down. Both guys may have never been knocked down, but have either of them ever even been hit with a big shot? Golovkin may have landed a few on Canelo, but it’s not like they’ve both just got demon chins. I think they’re both just exceptional fighters with great chins. “

Q: Can you name off the top of your head three boxes who are still active that really should have hung up their gloves by now?

A: “Ooh. That’s a bit of a mean one, isn’t it?”

(Or vice versa as well. Three that hung up their gloves too early)

A: “Well, my old buddy, James DeGale is coming out of his combat sport retirement – apparently he’s having a bare knuckle boxing match next month up in Birmingham. I would love to go to it, but my protege, my fighter Lucas Roehrig, fights that night, so I won’t be able to make that.

“I suppose I’ll actually give you the answer after his performance right. He’s been out of the ring for seven years now, and he’s decided that he wants to box, so we wish him well. I hope his camp’s going well. I hope he’s feeling good. I would love to get him on the pod for 15 minutes, just have a little chat. Catch up, see what he’s thinking. James could be one, but you know,

“Chris Eubank Jr. I think. What are your options now, buddy? Like this was straight after his fight with Connor Benn, you gonna fight Connor Benn again? Are you gonna fight Canelo? Are you gonna retire or are you going to chase a middleweight belt?.

“I don’t think he can win a middleweight belt. I don’t think a fight with Canelo’s good for him. You lived your best moment of your career that you ever will do in that fight against Connor Benn last time out. It was pure drama, it was like a Hollywood movie. How amazing would it be if you just walked away then?

“That’s it. I’m walking away on the pinnacle, my most prestigious win. But he can’t, most fighters can’t. It’s very hard for a lot of fighters. Does Connor Benn beat him in the rematch? Connor Benn could well. Benn might be the fighter who comes back better and Eubank comes back worse. If that is the case, Benn beats him as it was that close the first time? I’m gonna throw Eubank in there, maybe he should have hung up the gloves.

“I’m gonna say as well, Tyson Fury, he’s retired enough times, he’s done an incredible, incredible thing in boxing. He’s conquered the world. For him it was always about being the number one and he was the number one. Lineal champ for a while. But he’s not anymore and I can’t see him beating Usyk. So he then has to move on in the next phase of his life. If he stays around in boxing, he could be an incredible promoter, couldn’t he? He could be an absolutely incredible promoter. ’cause the guy knows boxing, he can see potential. He’s lived and breathed it. He’s had the hard times and the success. I’m surprised that he’s not looking to have boxing people under him, but him being the face of a major promotion team. Gypsy King Promotions. If he doesn’t do it, I’ll do it. 

“Joe Joyce? I think he’s still going, but I haven’t heard much about him lately. Ups and downs. Heavyweights live forever. They can just keep going, keep going and going. So as long as health is on their side, then that’s it. The only one who’s healthy I’m worried about a little bit now is Derek Chisora, but you know, he’s just started a podcast. I’ve seen some of it. It’s funny. It’s good. His brain must be working. Once they get to 50 fights, let them do it.” 

Q: Yesterday was eight years to the day that McGregor and Mayweather stepped into the ring. Do you think that spectacle had a part to play in the decline of boxing as we see it today?

A: “Mayweather changed the landscape of boxing in so many ways, and there were positives from it where he bought himself out of his top rank contract and then promoted himself and kept all the money. Looked after the boxers around him. He promoted Badou Jack to become a world champion, or he had other successful fighters under his commercial banner. And he’s still involved in boxing now, still. But in other ways, it was all on his terms and all the money went to him and it wasn’t distributed.

“Then when he was finishing or finished it did leave a bit of a gulf of, well what’s next? He had the McGregor fight. The best thing that came out, the McGregor fight was people after the amount of people who thought McGregor was gonna win. The amount of people who I’ve met and they said McGregor is gonna win. And I was like, you don’t understand. It’s two different sports. And I think each and every one of them held up their hands after like, oh, I understand now. There’s a bit of an art to boxing. It’s not just this guy who can box and kick and wrestle and, you know, cuddle with everything else they do in MMA. It is finely tuned, skillful art boxing with levels to it.

“But it was a fascinating build up spectacle. He’s a fantastic promoter, McGregor. I thought I learned a lot about people in general after, ’cause he sort of got beat and I thought there’d be a backlash for him. But there wasn’t, not really. Everyone was just like, oh. He told everyone he was amazing. He was this and that, and the next day he’s selling his whiskey. I think, oh right, it was all about selling whiskey then, or he was all about something else. So people are just like, okay, what next? I think that’s the world we live in now.”

Q: There have been reports that Andrew Tate is in advanced talks with Misfits for a heavyweight bout with KSI

A: “Could be quite a good little fight. I’ve seen clips of Andrew Tate, obviously he’s in shape. Kickboxer originally. Kickboxers and boxing. I did kickboxing and I’ve got a lot of friends who still do. Dillan Whyte did kickboxing. I mean, half the boxers out there usually have done a little bit at some point. If you’ve done a little bit, then you are always gonna be a three time world champion. I think that’s a decent fight. Are they the same sort of size? Probably yeah. Could be good if the audiences combine. Andrew Tate must be for an older generation. Maybe young as well. I’m not sure if KSI is for the kids. It could be a good fight. I’ll definitely be up for that.”

Q: Eddie Hern has made assurances that if AJ and Jake Paul were to take place next year it would not be an exhibition fight. Could you see Jake Paul agreeing to it being an actual, ratified, certified sanctioned fight?

“I dunno, he’s fighting Javante Davis now, isn’t he? I think Eddie would love that fight. And he’s delivered a couple of gifts for Joshua over the years. That would be a gift.

“I’m not sure what Joshua still wants to try and box or does he just want to make money or does he want to be part of the limelight? I don’t sure what the truth is. If he wants to box, then.

“Joshua wants the fury fight. But he doesn’t want to be seen as chasing it, because that sounds desperate. But I think he would love that fight. He would love to try and settle that score. I’d still love to see it at this point.”

Q: Ike Ibeabuchi returned to the ring last Saturday and continued his 21-0 undefeated streak after 16 years in jail – at 52 he wants to fight Usyk and Fury should he get a world ranking – could you see him getting a shot?

A: “Yeah. Maybe that’s the future. Maybe that’s what all fighters need to go through is jail and you come out in tremendous shape. Maybe it’s a tough place. Yeah, it’s a tough place to improve your boxing. Scrap that. Don’t get yourself in jail.. Stay outta jail. Stay on the straight and narrow. We have these boxing gyms here to keep the kids outta jail. So scrap that. 52 years of age. Let’s see if he can. Which Rocky is it, when he comes back and he’s 52? Is it Rocky 6 or is it Rocky 7? I think Rocky 7 when he’s pushing 80 and he’s coming back. Maybe he could be the next Rocky bad guy.”

Q: David Adeleye says he likes the idea of a Daniel Dubois fight. Looks like good business.

A: “That’s a good fight. He fell short a little bit, but a good performance last week wasn’t it for, for Adeleye? He might be thinking right, risk reward from Daniel Dubois, good fight.I think that’s a good fight for both guys actually. “

Q: Ex- UFC Champ, Luke Rockhold makes his professional boxing debut against Darren Till in the main event at MisFits

A: “I’ve seen a bit of Darren Till and you know, he’s learned how to box. I dunno an awful lot about the UFC guy. They’re both UFC fighters aren’t they? I mean, so far I haven’t seen many boxers turn to the UFC. It was only James Tony, wasn’t it? He got trapped on his back like a turtle, and couldn’t get up.”

Q: The World Boxing Council celebrated Women’s Equality Day yesterday. On that note, who are your top three female boxers or providers in general of all time?

A: “I’m a big fan of Terry Harper. I like Terry Harper, I saw her fishing the other week. She beat me on the, on the rodeo as well. She’s multi-talented and a good ambassador for female boxing. She was around when it was just starting to boom and she’s a multiple world champion.

“The future of female boxing, for me, is Caroline Dubois, so far so good in her career. Her brother’s a former heavyweight champion, so you know, success runs in the family. Got the lineage, the bloodline.”

(Dubois’ Grandmother gaining their freedom from being a slave by knocking out their owner) 

A: “Amazing. I wonder how that went down, like was that, was that pre considered? Did she knock out the owner, and make a run for it? I wonder? Was it challenged and they had a scuff?

“Final female name? Obviously you’ve got your Shield and Taylor, but I’m trying to not be so obvious. Nah, I can’t think of anyone to top Katie Taylor. She was an iconic, big champion and a pioneer for females, certainly this side of the pond. Yeah, Katie Taylor. There’s gonna be loads coming through. It feels like there’s opposition for the females. You know, when they first started breaking from getting the TV slots, let’s be honest, it was COVID times and female boxing was cheaper than male boxes. So they were getting the TV slots for a new audience. Everyone was excited, but there wasn’t enough competition, so they were just really skillful ladies against someone like Browe from Guadalajara. But now, certainly in Britain, there’s a lot of talented females coming through. “