Friday 28 September 2018 21:33, UK
George Groves sees glaring vulnerability in his unbeaten challenger and questions whether Callum Smith can take a leap of faith in the World Boxing Super Series final.
Groves rarely exercised caution in a precarious ring career, lurching from dark defeats to glorious title victories.
Whether toying with a Rubik's cube before a Wembley war with Carl Froch, or donning shades ahead of a Las Vegas duel with Badou Jack, Groves has welcomed the opportunity to risk it all.
But in Smith, a respected opponent in the World Boxing Super Series, the 30-year-old does not see a fighter with a similar desire to step into the unknown, and maybe even suffer a humiliating fall.
Smith is yet to encounter the division's elite in 24 bouts, and Groves sums up a perceived frailty in the Liverpudlian's mindset with a simple anecdote from his past.
"When I was a kid, I used to go to Putney pools, and they had the 10 metre and 15-metre board. You stand at the edge and look down.
"If you doubt it, you have the best intentions to climb up the stairs, you're going to dive, you get to the edge, have a look and go, 'I'll come back to that.'
"The longer you are up there, the less likely you are to dive. You might end up belly flopping."
Smith would point out that he was willing to put his unbeaten record at stake in a WBC title fight against Anthony Dirrell, only to be left in limbo by lengthy talks that prompted him to enter the WBSS, putting him on a path to Groves.
The longer you are up there, the less likely you are to dive. You might end up belly flopping.
Calmly and without arrogance, Smith stated a desire to prove himself as "no 1" in the tournament, although the top-seeded Groves insists there is lingering uncertainty beneath the 28-year-old's disciplined demeanour.
"It's a daunting prospect, taking the next step-up. Some people are born to do it, some people are ignorant.
"You can have over-thinkers or under-thinkers. People who have nothing going on upstairs are usually just as dangerous, they are not aware of what is going on.
"I'm not saying Callum is either or, but it's going to be a big step-up for him. This is it, and he's waited so long for it.
"He's hyped it up in his mind so much. Made this tournament all about me. This tournament for me is just all about winning it. This tournament for him, he said from the start, he's gone in to fight me because he wants to win a world title."
The two men might have met years earlier, according to Groves, who believes he was viewed as a big-name fall-guy for the upcoming prospect following a crushing second loss to Froch.
This smaller scale domestic clash never occurred, and Groves came up short while gambling on a WBC fight with Jack, but his reckless pursuit of glory would eventually be rewarded with the WBA 'super' belt after a wild shootout with Fedor Chudinov in Sheffield.
Smith went about his own business, including a first-round blowout of fellow Merseysider Rocky Fielding, who went on to claim a version of the WBA belt. But Groves, often a harsh critique of opponents, views a fighter still in the comfort zone.
"I think that's when fighters can go stale.
"Once I got ironed out by Carl Froch, then I was supposed to be his stepping stone fight. He was linked to me straight away. They were ready to progress, he was a mandatory I think for the WBC, not long after I lost, and he was probably mandatory for something before then.
"He's had opportunities to fight James DeGale when he was a world champion, didn't take it.
"He's gone into this tournament, hoping to come out with loads of belts."
Smith, of course, could have the final word if he snatches the WBA belt and the golden Muhammad Ali trophy at the grandiose venue of Jeddah.
Win or lose, Groves has mentioned he might consider retirement after the conclusion of the competition, and would be willing to take another step off the edge into the unknown.
"I wouldn't mind if I'm not remembered, or at least not recognised.
"If I could be remembered, just as a ballsy f****er, I suppose.
"Come round my house, there's not posters of me everywhere. There's not a lot of memorabilia.
"I'm looking forward to a new chapter and finding out once I finish this boxing malarkey, what it's about."
Follow George Groves vs Callum Smith and an undercard including, Chris Eubank Jr, on our live blog on skysports.com/boxing and the Sky Sports app, on Friday evening.
