Sunday 28 May 2017 13:52, UK
George Groves has admitted he feels "a better human being" after clinching a world title at the fourth attempt in Sheffield on Saturday.
The 29-year-old Brit stopped Russian Fedor Chudinov in the sixth round at Bramall Lane and win the WBA 'super' super-middleweight strap, to cue emotional scenes as 'Saint George' finally accomplished his career-long goal of winning a world title.
"It's a wonderful feeling," Groves told Sky Sports News HQ. "It's great to finally achieve something I set out to do so long ago and I can hopefully put myself down in history now, another world champion added to the collection we have here in Britain.
"No one likes to be called bitter and you certainly don't really want to describe yourself as bitter, but I still don't know exactly, I certainly had an element of feeling sorry for myself, or maybe wondering why, and a chip on my shoulder to a certain degree that I wasn't a world champion because I felt I deserved to be, and I was genuinely worried that I would finish my boxing career and not achieve that goal, and I felt I was good enough and capable of it.
"Now I have achieved that, I'm not ready to tap out yet, I'm going to make some new goals up now, we're going to move onto the next team, the next level, but I finally feel I'm where I belong and that's great for me and has probably made me a better human being for it."
Groves' first world title shot came against fellow Briton Carl Froch in November 2013, where he was controversially stopped in the ninth round.
A rematch with Froch in front of 80,000 people at Wembley was his second shot in May 2014, but defeat there was followed by another loss against Swedish boxer Badou Jack in September 2015 for the WBC super-middleweight title.
Saturday was Groves' time though, revealing he now has the likes of IBF super-middleweight title holder James DeGale in his sights.
"It was a huge pressure fight for me," Groves added. "Beforehand I tried to play it cool, play it down, and say every fight is a pressure fight, which of course they are, but you're in there and a cut happens, and I've had plenty of cuts in my career but this is the first time it was running into the eye.
"I didn't want to give him any momentum and encouragement. My jaw is a little bit sore this morning but I landed good shots which gave me momentum and pushed me forward.
"There was a tremendous atmosphere there. Of course I've boxed in bigger arenas than that but last night was special for me.
"There were so many people there, who I thought were there for Kell Brook, were genuinely cheering me on and it was just a lovely feeling, and it really got the blood pumping before the first bell.
"Hopefully everyone enjoyed the fight and the reception after and feedback I've had has been fantastic, I'm so thankful for that.
"I've spent three years chasing fights to get to here, and now I'm just going to let the phone ring. And I'm sure it will ring tomorrow morning.
"There are plenty of people now that want a crack and to take what I've got. I'm 29-years-old now and I don't feel old but all my sparring partners are younger, all the prospects are younger, so now you look at things from a different perspective.
"You look at it as: 'people are after me'. Of course I'd love to unify and that will be the next goal. To do so I'll have to fight the likes of James DeGale and the rest of it, but right here and now I'm just going to enjoy this belt for a little bit."
