In a clash for the vacant WBA super middleweight world championship, three-time world title challenger “Saint” George Groves (26-3, 19 KOs) won his first world title by scoring a sixth round TKO over former WBA super middleweight king Fedor Chudinov (14-2, 10 KOs). Chudinov did well until he was rocked by Groves in round six. Groves attacked furiously, while Chudinov covered up. Although Chudinov didn’t appear particularly hurt, he wasn’t firing back to the satisfaction of British referee Steve Gray, who crowned his countryman at 1:13.
“I’ve got no words,” Groves said filled of joy. “It’s a lifetime’s work achieved. I’m over the moon. I want to thank everyone who made this happen, Shane McGuigan who has resurrected my career, and now I’m mature enough to admit that he brings the best out of me. In the end, I would have carried on punching until everyone had left and they kicked me out. I wasn’t going to let this belt slip. [Chudinov] was catching me around the back of the head from the start, he has really devastatingly long arms, but I found my feet.”
