Carl Froch retains super-middleweight titles

MANCHESTER — Carl Froch retained his WBA and IBF super-middleweight titles by beating George Groves via technical knockout in the ninth round of an engrossing all-British fight at Manchester Arena on Saturday (Sunday, PHL time).

The referee intervened to end the fight after Froch, who was knocked down in the first round, finally landed some meaningful punches midway through the ninth.

Groves protested he was OK and boos rang out around the 21,000-seat arena.

It was Froch's 32nd win in 34 fights, and Groves' first loss in 20 bouts.

Froch will count himself lucky to have come through a gripping encounter with his belts intact. He was the heavy favorite but was never comfortable and had no answer to the speed and movement of the young pretender.

Relations between the fighters grew increasingly bitter over the last two weeks, with Froch losing his usual cool demeanor and becoming riled by what he perceived as a lack of respect shown by Groves.

This was Froch's 11th straight world title contest and he has fought a number of the sport's top fighters in Andre Ward, Mikkel Kessler and Jermain Taylor since 2008. Many were saying it was a fight that Froch didn't need, with his reputation on the line.

All that experience counted for nothing early on, though as Groves took the center of the ring — as he said he would — and sent Froch to the canvas with a right jab. The bell saved a wobbling Froch as Groves went in to finish him off.

Groves wasn't overawed in the biggest fight of his life, leaving Froch unsteady on his feet with a barrage of punches in the second round and then rocking him back in the third.

Groves' left eye started to close over by the fourth round but he was still bossing the fight, shuddering Froch back with a right. The champion then walked into a left hook in the next and Groves was winning the close exchanges.

A frustrated Froch was warned twice by the referee and looked out on his feet by the time he returned to the corner after the eighth round.

However, he connected with a barrage of punches in the ninth, finally wobbling Groves, and the referee thought the challenger had taken too much.

Froch, given a rapturous welcome as he entered the ring, ended up being jeered by the crowd as he celebrated his win. - AP