For Groves, the conversation has shifted away from who wins. He now questions whether the fight still deserves the billing attached to it after what both men produced in the ring.
Speaking to Betselect, Groves dismissed Fury’s seven-round victory over 46-year-old Mariusz Wach, arguing the matchmaking and the performance raised more questions than answers. The former super middleweight champion saw little of the footwork, punch variety or ring command expected from a heavyweight preparing for the richest fight of his career.
“Fury is a clever man in terms of the opponents he’ll pick, to make sure that he wins, but him against Wach looked like two grandads having a punch-up in a Thailand sort of dojo.
“[It was as if] they’ve had a midlife crisis, they’ve sold up, they’ve moved to Thailand, and they fancy having a fight. When people are telling you [Fury] is about to be involved in the biggest fight in the history of boxing, I’m left scratching my head.”
Groves admitted he had already begun edging toward Joshua because he believed Fury’s timing, feet and punch output had slipped. Jeddah forced another rethink. Joshua climbed off the canvas twice before stopping Kristian Prenga in the second round, but Groves believes the first-round knockdowns carried more significance than the finish.
The stoppage itself did little to change his opinion. His attention stayed on Joshua’s balance, reactions and ability to recover after being caught cold.
“But [Joshua] walks into Jeddah, fights someone that none of us have really heard of, who’s got a good record, but it doesn’t mean anything, and he gets dropped with the first punch. He’s away with the fairies, he’s almost out for the count. He gets up, gets dropped again, and then surprisingly Prenga in the second round decides not to throw a punch and gets stopped himself.”
Groves believes both victories stripped momentum from a fight that has spent years hovering over the heavyweight division. Instead of strengthening confidence, he argues they highlighted fading reactions, defensive lapses and questions over whether either man can still cope with elite pressure.
“So, the show goes on, but it’s got to be the worst advertisement to sell a mega-fight in history. I can’t think of anything that would get close to this.”
Negotiations remain active after Turki Alalshikh backed a late-night Wembley event, while reports have also linked the contest with a move to the United States. Groves, however, believes the debate has moved beyond the venue.
“I applaud that [comeback] to a certain degree, if there’s something left to deliver, but you’re finished. He’s finished, and Tyson Fury’s finished.”
The rivalry can still sell out a stadium. Groves believes the weekend performances did little to convince him either man can produce the level expected when the biggest heavyweight fights finally arrive.
