Eddie Hearn believes a rematch between Carl Froch and George Groves could be staged at Wembley, according to reports on Tuesday.
The experienced promoter is looking to capitalise on the furore caused by Saturday's controversial fight by providing it with the biggest stage in British sport. Wembley is understood to be the prime location, as reported by Sean Ingle of The Guardian, who quoted Hearn saying:
We have had a number of approaches from football clubs and outdoor stadiums. Don't forget, when Matchroom did Nigel Benn v Chris Eubank II at Old Trafford it sold 45,000. I think Froch v Groves II would be the biggest grossing outdoor boxing event of all time in this country.
However, Froch may be willing to end talk of a lucrative rematch by opting to face Andre Ward, the only opponent he has never beaten. "The Cobra" has regularly stated his intention to tackle the American for a second time and is keen to make the contest happen, as noted in Jeff Powell's report for the Daily Mail:
Andre Ward is the only opponent I haven’t beaten and I want to avenge that defeat. The bucks will be as big around the world for that rematch as for Groves.
Froch was on the winning end of a debatable decision during the Groves fight. With his opponent leading on points and having knocked Froch down early in the fight, the referee appeared to step in prematurely during a moment of Froch dominance in the ninth round.
Groves immediately stated his intention to receive a rematch on Twitter:
In the days after the event, the 25-year-old has tried to provoke a second shot at the unified IBF and WBA super-middleweight champion by suggesting the result is void. He even accused the sport of corruption, as noted in Powell's report:
The corruption in boxing needs to end now. I was not in trouble. I only stopped punching back when Howard Foster got me in a headlock.
Away from dodgy refereeing, why was I only one point up on two judges’ scorecards. It was an absolute joke. Whether it was sinister or not Froch’s celebrity status has stood in the way of me becoming a world champion.
Groves also claimed Froch only has two options left in his career. He believes the experienced fighter can either give him a "rematch or retire," as reported by Sky Sports. This statement is simply not true, as confirmed by Hearn in Ingle's report:
I've seen George saying that Carl only has one option: fight him or retire but I totally disagree with that.
HBO would love Carl to fight Andre Ward, Gennady Golovkin or Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. They are all big fights on the world stage. And while Froch v Groves II is massive in British terms it is not globally.
At 36 years of age, Froch's next decision has the capacity to end his career on a high.
He claims he has "two more big fights left" in a separate Daily Mail report by Powell, suggesting a rematch with Groves is unlikely to accelerate his reputation in the same way a showdown with Ward, Golovkin or Chavez Jr. would.
Groves' immediate reaction after the loss gained him many fans across the world, but his subsequent accusation of corruption is likely to undo plenty of his hard work.
Robert Smith, general secretary of the British Boxing Board of Control, has backed the referee's decision and condemned Groves for making out of place comments, per Powell's report.
Expect this story to run as the fallout continues. Both fighters have a huge choice to make, and at this stage in their respective careers, a rematch perhaps only makes sense for Groves.
However, Hearn's suggestion of a mega rematch inside a football stadium is the clearest indication yet that the sequel could happen, and both men are likely to be tempted by the chance to stage such a huge event.
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