In what promises to be one of the United Kingdom's biggest fights in recent memory, Carl "The Cobra" Froch will defend the IBF and WBA Super-Middleweight titles against young upstart George "The Saint" Groves. It's a case of present meets future, and boxing fans across the world couldn't be more excited.
Betting is obviously something that is always of significance when it comes to boxing, and there is no question that plenty of money will change hands because of this fight. Due to the gap in age and experience it is very difficult to predict who will prevail, but that won't stop people from betting anyway.
For the benefit of those who intend to place a wager on Saturday's contest, here is the definitive betting guide for Froch vs. Groves.
*Odds courtesy of Paddy Power
Winner
With a career record of 31-2, perhaps it should come as no surprise that Froch is installed as the 1-4 favorite. He has some highly impressive wins on his resume, and the 36-year-old veteran has been especially successful in title fights. With that said, a fighter can break down at any time when they reach Froch's age. The Cobra hasn't shown any signs of decline on recent fights, however, and guys like Floyd Mayweather have proven that it is possible to excel at an older age.
Groves is a 3-1 underdog even though he has yet to lose a fight. The 25-year-old phenom is viewed by many as the future of British boxing, but he would become the present with a win over Froch. It's difficult to ignore Groves' 19-0 record with 15 of those wins coming by way of knockout, but he has never faced a boxer the caliber of Froch.
Since losing a hard-fought decision to Andre Ward in 2011, Froch is 3-0. His most recent win allowed him to avenge the first loss of his career as he took care of Mikkel Kessler. Groves may have a growing following, but The Cobra will almost certainly be the fan favorite at the Phones 4u Arena in Manchester, and that should help spur him to victory.
Prediction: Froch wins
Total Rounds
If betting on the winner of the fight isn't your cup of tea, you can place a wager on the length of the bout instead. Froch and Groves are both noted knockout artists. Of Froch's 31 wins, 22 of them have been inside the distance, while only four of Groves' 19 victories have gone the full quota of rounds. Because of that, most bettors may be inclined to take the under.
The over/under is set at 9.5 rounds, and both the over and the under have 5-6 odds attached to them. Groves has completed a 12-round fight just once, so it could be argued that he will do everything in his power to end it early. He may have trouble stopping Froch, though. Not only has Froch never been knocked out, but, he is more than an inch taller than Groves, and he weighed in heavier, according to Dan Rafael of ESPN.com.
Even though Froch has plenty of punching power, he may not be so eager to turn this into a brawl. Six of his past eight fights have gone the distance, and he has become far savvier at his advanced age. Froch isn't afraid to go to the scorecards, and most would probably agree that he has the advantage in that regard. Betting the over 9.5 rounds is a pretty smart wager because it also provides leeway for a late-fight knockout. With that in mind, the over makes the most sense.
Prediction: Over 9.5 rounds
Method of Victory
While method of victory is somewhat different from the total rounds bet, those who are really looking to score can parlay them in hopes of hitting it big. This bet really comes down to whether bettors think there will be a knockout or a decision on the scorecards. It's a really tough call since it's impossible to know for sure how Groves will react to getting into the ring with a veteran like Froch. What is clear, however, is that Froch is extremely confident, according to Sky Sports Boxing.
That could be viewed as overconfidence, which would leave him ripe for the taking, but Froch has been doing this long enough to know that there is no room for complacency in boxing. The favored result is a Froch knockout win at 4-6, followed by Froch via decision at 3-1, Groves via decision at 11-2 and Groves by knockout at 9-1.
Betting on a Groves knockout victory is somewhat tantalizing at that price considering his pure power, but it's very difficult to imagine Froch going down for the count. With that in mind, Froch via decision at 3-1 is unquestionably the smartest play.
Wagering on Froch to win at 1-4 may not seem like a great investment even for those who truly believe that The Cobra will come away victorious, but adding in the element of winning by decision definitely makes it a worthwhile bet.
Prediction: Froch wins by decision
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