Froch and Groves set for May 31 rematch

LONDON - British super-middleweight rivals Carl Froch and George Groves have agreed to a rematch of their controversial first encounter last year, promoter Eddie Hearn announced on Thursday (Friday, PHL time).

Froch beat Groves with a contentious ninth-round stoppage when they met in Manchester last November and Groves will have a chance to gain revenge on May 31 (April 1, PHL time).

No venue for the fight has yet been announced, but several of Britain's largest sporting arenas are reported to be under consideration.

Froch's IBF and WBA titles will both be at stake, prompting Matchroom promoter Hearn to declare: "Quite simply, I believe this is one of the biggest fights in British boxing history.

"It was one of the most epic and exhilarating fights I've ever witnessed and I'm delighted the public are going to get a chance to see it all again. The unanswered questions from the first fight may now be answered."

News of the fight will settle demand for a rematch in Britain after the controversy sparked by the first bout.

Groves, the underdog, floored Froch in the first round and was ahead on the judges' scorecards when referee Howard Foster stepped in to stop the fight in the ninth round after Froch unleashed a barrage of punches.

Froch was initially reluctant to grant Groves a rematch, with Hearn revealing last month that negotiations had become "frustrating,” but he now appears to have bowed to public demand.

On the likely venue, Hearn told Sky Sports News: "We're in discussion with six or seven stadiums all over the country right now. They are huge stadiums because this is a huge event.

"We're looking at a crowd of up to 80,000 for this fight. We've had discussions with Old Trafford, Wembley, the Emirates Stadium, the City Ground, Twickenham, Cardiff. It's a special fight."

Froch said that he was looking forward to "shutting George Groves up once and for all.”

The Nottingham fighter added: "I've already beaten him, I've already got the win, so I'm chilled and relaxed. He's going to get another pasting."

Groves admitted that he had feared that the chance of a rematch had passed him by.

"I'm really, really chuffed [pleased]. I didn't think for one second that Carl Froch would take this fight," he said.

"I systematically beat him from round one until round nine and as soon as he had an inkling of beating me, the referee jumped in. He's on a hiding to nothing. There's nothing he can take from the last fight that's a positive." - AFP