Re-match demand is not on Groves’s radar

Six years after edging his Dale Youth ABC colleague in the ABA championships, Groves repeated the feat as a professional at London’s O2 Arena on Saturday night.

DeGale has always maintained he was “robbed” in their first meeting and was similarly infuriated in the re-match as Groves won a contentious majority decision by the narrowest of margins, adding the British super-middleweight belt to his Commonwealth title.

Beijing Olympic gold medallist DeGale and his promoter Frank Warren called on the British Boxing Board of Control to mandate a re-match but Groves quipped: “What is it, best of five?

“How many times do I have to beat this man? After this fight I want to move on to bigger and better things.

“James has no title, he is now coming off a loss, I’m pretty sure I can find a better opponent than him now!

“As you saw I displayed skill, determination, will to win, boxing ability and I beat James DeGale in every aspect.”

Referring to three cuts and widespread swelling on his face, Groves added: “I’d happily give James DeGale a re-match if he wasn’t so dangerous with his head.

“As you can see from my face, how many cuts are there?

“Every one from his head. I’ve beaten him twice, what more do I need to do?”

Nathan Cleverly had to settle for an anti-climatic first defence of his WBO light-heavyweight title at the same venue following his fourth-round cuts stoppage win over Aleksy Kuziemski