I am also working on yet another boxing post on the end of the line for HBO Boxing that I'm hoping to have up within the day.
The World Boxing Super Series finally wraps up their first season as the super middleweight finals finished with an all-British battle held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia?
Well, yes- Jeddah, Saudi Arabia in a decision to place the fight there and not the UK that the promoters are likely kicking themselves for.
The delayed final was due to a shoulder injury suffered by George Groves in the final round in his victory over Chris Eubank Jr and despite the tournament flirting with placing Eubank in the finals due to the extra time for Groves to heal, the organizer did the right thing and allowed Groves until September under the conditions that if it looked like he wasn't ready to go by then that Eubank would step in for him.
The super middle bracket wasn't nearly as exciting as the cruiser tourney and no titles will be unified, but the final is still an interesting one as WBA champion George Groves defends against Callum Smith.
Groves, who continues a run of wins since his split decision win over Badou Jack, defeated Jamie Cox and Chris Eubank Jr, (in the only battle of top ten fighters in the tournament) to reach the finals, while Smith defeated unknown Swede Rob Skoglund and late replacement Nicky Holzken to cruise through his side of the bracket to set up the championship.
I've been torn on this fight.
I've always rooted for George Groves through his various near-misses against Carl Froch and then Badou Jack and Callum Smith is very untested even considering his being in the finals, so it was pretty clear that I favored Groves to win.
Then came today's weigh-in and Smith made weight, but just looks physically huge!
Smith looks like he is a full division larger than Groves and that has me thinking that perhaps this is a much bigger (and happens to be younger) man that now I'm thinking about Smith.
It's a close call and should be a good one in Saudi Arabia.
Chris Eubank Jr returns on the undercard against journeyman JJ McDonagh.
Eubank was the on-call fighter in case of an issue with Groves or Smith and was matched lightly to be prepared in case of emergency.
ESPN Plus comes to you from Oakland Friday night with IBF super middleweight champ Jose Uzcategui in a non-title bout against Ezequiel Maderna at light heavyweight
Uzcategui was training for a title bout against mandatory contender Caleb Plant when Plant suffered an injury, so Uzcategui's team decided to take this bout to stay busy.
Jerwin Ancajas defends his IBF junior bantamweight title against Alejandro Santiago in the co-feature.
The final bout is on Saturday on Facebook as former two-division champions Jorge Linares returns to the ring for the first time since his loss to Vasyl Lomachenko in a move to 140 pounds against fringe contender (and cousin of Miguel) Abner Cotto.
In the boxing challenge, Ramon Malpica has been narrowing the gap, but I still hold a 144-123 lead.
WBA Super Middleweight Title/World Boxing Super Series Final 12 Rds
George Groves vs Callum Smith
R.L: Smith Unanimous Decision
TRS: Groves Unanimous Decision
Super Middleweights. 10 Rds
Chris Eubank Jr vs J.J. McDonagh
R.L: Eubank Unanimous Decisions
TRS: Eubank KO 8
Light Heavyweights. 10 Rds
Jose Uzcategui vs Ezequiel Maderna
R.L: Uzcategui KO 7
TRS: Uzcategui KO 9
IBF Junior Bantamweight Title. 12 Rds
Jerwin Ancajas vs Alejandro Santiago
R.L: Ancajas KO 6
TRS: Ancajas KO 8
Junior Welterweights. 12 Rds
Jorge Linares vs Abner Cotto
R.L: Linares Unanimous Decisions
TRS: Linares KO 6
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