George Groves Exclusive Interview: Conor Benn is the face of British boxing – NOT Anthony Joshua

In an exclusive interview with Pundit Arena, George Groves weighed in on all things boxing, advising Ben Whittaker to defeat all the British fighters in his light-heavyweight division before stepping up to world level. He also disagreed with Tony Bellew that Anthony Joshua is the face of British boxing, predicting that Conor Benn will defeat Chris Eubank Jr and surpass AJ in the popularity stakes. 

Pundit Arena: We’re heading towards 2026 now, who’s the real face of British boxing for you currently?

GG: The face of British boxing, I don’t know, because Nick Ball’s a great fighter, but he’s not a household name. Hamzah Sheeraz, you think he’s going to be a big name in the future. Adam Azim, there was so much hype around him, but that hype has sort of diminished lately. You might see him back in action, back to major winning ways. Conor Benn and Eubank Jr… are they the faces of British boxing? They’re the ones that everyone knows about, they’re the ones that are going to have the two biggest fights domestically of the year. It’s probably one of those two, maybe even Conor Benn. If Conor Benn wins in the rematch, which I think he will, then he’s the face of British boxing. 

Pundit Arena: We asked Tony Bellew and he said it’s still Anthony Joshua. 

GG: He’s got a bias, he loves Joshua, he might be blinded by the Joshua thing, but he sees it from a totally different angle and he has a friendship with Joshua. In some ways I feel like AJ is retired and I feel like Fury’s retired, so you can’t have a retired fighter as the face of boxing. Otherwise who else could it be? I think Moses Itauma is the future face of boxing. He’s the future face of boxing and he’s opening up a bit more now we’re seeing a bit more of the personality, which we will need for him to be a huge name. Everything’s going to get a little bit slicker, the social media presence is going to be a lot slicker. The interviews will be a lot slicker. I’m looking forward to it.

Pundit Arena: Ben Whitaker signing with Matchroom made lots of noise recently. Do you think this will be the making of him? Some say that Eddie Hearn has promoted him more in a week with the ‘Show me the money’ video than Ben Shalom managed in their whole time together. Is that harsh? 

GG: Well, it might be true. If it’s harsh, it might still be true. I think Eddie’s paid big bucks for Ben Whittaker and he’s bought a readymade star. Ben Whittaker is a very talented fighter, but there’s still a lot of question marks above his head whether he’ll actually make it and be in big fights. But you could certainly match him, keep him winning and then put him in a pay-per-view fight and that works for Eddie Hearn. He’s the promoter, he needs fighters and he wants fighters with pay-per-view status. 

Pundit Arena: Eddie reckons he needs nine months to get him ready for a world level fight. But by that point, he’ll almost be in his thirties. Have the best years slipped by for Ben Whittaker or can he be a world-champion? 

GG: No, he turned pro late and he had his shoulder injury, he had surgery, so it must have been quite significant as he turned pro. So he had to bide his time and he got pressed and pushed relatively well at the start, but then he had that fight with Liam Cameron and there were question marks over his head, obviously he’s won since, he was never going to have an opportunity to fight eight times in the first year. And maybe he should have, maybe like Itauma who surely wasn’t on mega mega money but boxing so regularly just to get that experience early on, it could have been the same for Ben Whitaker, but I’m sure he’ll say that his career’s gone perfectly. He’s got millions of followers online, which in many people’s books is success, whether he can convert them into pay-per-view sales, the time is yet to come, and whether he can beat Callum Smith, whether he can beat Joshua Buatsi, Anthony Yarde. You wouldn’t put him in with any of those guys yet, but in nine months time when he’s talking about fighting world level guys, that’s not even Eddie Hearn saying. I’ve paid all this money for this guy who’s going to be world champion in nine months time. I’m going to put him in and see how he goes. In nine months time  we’ll find out. He’s linked up with Andy Lee, who’s an exceptional boxing brain. I’m sure he is a very good coach and will help him, not just technically, but I’m sure we’ll help him mentally, emotionally, because we’ve seen him in tears already. Boxing is a tough, tough sport. 

Pundit Arena: He will have had to do some maturing over these last 18 months, since those Liam Cameron fights. The emotional impact of that abuse he received online, whereas before he was kind of just the star boy who got all the plaudits. 

GG: And you will get abused because there is still a certain type of boxing fan which is very stereotypical of British culture, where we love you when you’re on your way up, but then as soon as you get a little bit out of control and too big for your boots, we’re happy to see you get knocked down. Then we want to see the underdog story, we want to see you come back. So maybe he’s already had that knock down through people saying he threw the fight against Cameron and he’s grown from it since. But there’s still a long way to go with his career. I really rate him by the way, I really rate him. He’s a very skillful fighter, a very technically brilliant fighter. At times he concentrates a little bit too much on the showboating and tries to appease that part of his personality, but if he can punch hard and he can take a dig then he might go far. 

He’s not going to beat Bivol or Beterbiev probably ever. Benavidez will go up to cruiserweight maybe and I think Ben Whittaker is a big light heavyweight, I think that might be his undoing. It’s too much of a big jump up to cruiserweight, he’s a very big light heavyweight. I can imagine it’s tough for him to make that weight, that might be why he is being a little bit more selective with the amount of fluff he has getting in at championship weight. But when you’ve got the domestic scene of the guys who are experienced but still floating around like your Callum Smiths, Anthony Yardes and Joshua Buatis, who have still got the best to come and then of course you’ve got Craig Richards and a few others.

Pundit Arena:  David Haye has confirmed that Derek Chisora will face Dillian Whyte in his 50th and final professional fight. What do you make of that? 

George Groves: Yeah, that’s a good fight. It’s a trilogy and 2-0 to Dillian Whyte. He can’t quite level the scores but obviously Dillian Whyte hasn’t been too active in the last year or two. That’s a fun fight. The first two were epic bouts. I remember one fight went to the judges but Whyte got a really good knockout in the later rounds of the rematch. David Haye is usually a man in the know but I’m not sure if he’s still working with Chisora.

Pundit Arena: There was talk of Chisora fighting Michael Hunter as well. Do you think the UK vs US angle wasn’t going to sell as many tickets? 

GG: Perhaps that’s why they went down this route instead. Michael Hunter is a dangerous fighter, a very good fighter and underrated. I don’t know why he never really got a big break, considering he’s a skillful American fighter. I first saw him fight live when he fought Martin Bakole and beat him. He would be a dangerous fight. I wouldn’t pick him for Chisora. The fun fight in many ways would be Big Baby Jarrell Miller. He’s a huge guy. He doesn’t seem that much bigger than the rest of the heavyweights, except he’s a hundred pounds heavier than anyone else would he? That’s a big, big weight difference. There would be loads of smack talk, trash talk in the buildup, I’m sure, and an all action affair. Jarrell Miller throws a lot of punches if he’s on the gear or not, and Chisora, he brings the heat as well, certainly in those first few rounds. So that’s, that’s a fun fight. I’d certainly be up for watching that. 

Pundit Arena: Boxing analyst Max Kellerman believes Olexander Usyk’s resume is a little thin compared to some of the heavyweights from the past. What’s your take on that?

GG: It’s a strange one. I think there’s always that recency bias. When people retire, they age well. I would’ve been young but I remember watching Lennox Lewis, and I remember everyone was talking about Mike Tyson when Lewis was the man. And then since he’s retired, he’s gone down as one of the best British fighters ever. We claim him certainly, even though he won a medal for Canada. One of the best heavyweights of all time. Effective, big, strong, great boxer, great jab. And when you do go back and watch him, you’re like, he was really good. He was very good. But I think in time to come, we will look back at Usyk and say, man, this guy was really good too.

He gave away a lot of natural advantages in terms of his size against Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury. And maybe, at the moment people are like, whoa, maybe Fury was overrated and maybe Joshua was overrated, so therefore Usyk’s achievements of beating them don’t quite count. But he’s pushing 40 now, Usyk. He’s been a pro for a fair amount of time. It’s a different era now. Heavyweights don’t have the amount of fights that Muhammed Ali had, that even Tyson had, Larry Holmes had. It doesn’t work like that. He beat what’s in front of him, comfortably. I think he will go down as one of the best heavyweights of all time.

Pundit Arena: Usyk’s advisor Sergey Lapin claims that Usyk will fight five more times, which seems hard to believe. Who would you pick as his opponents? 

GG: Moses Itauma is probably one of them but then you look beyond that, who are the other four? Maybe that’s how you build your legacy. You are around that much longer and just have a few more names under your belt and maybe it won’t be any magnificent fighters. Joe Parker’s got to be there. Maybe Michael Hunter. Murat Gassiev could be one as well, maybe. But you wonder what’s the motivation for Usyk to keep fighting? Is there any motivation? Maybe just being the man, being the boxer, earning the money. Being in full control is something that he just isn’t ready to part ways with yet. And they’re not rushing Moses Itauma. He got matched in some final eliminators and his time will come. But yeah, five, five more fights for Usyk, we’re in for a treat.

Pundit Arena: Kell Brook will fight for the first time in four years in February at a show out in the Middle East. It’s a tribute show to, to Ricky Hatton and his foundation, which is a great cause. But does that surprise you to see Kell Brook planning to get back in the ring?

GG: Yeah, it really did when I saw that, especially because it’s for Ricky Hatton’s Foundation. Is he donating any money he would be earning to the foundation? If so then that’s an amazing thing and it must mean that foundation and mental health is really close to him and something that he feels very strongly about. You always hope the fighters who have climbed to the top of the sport that they’re not doing it because they need the money. But you don’t begrudge anyone who wants to do it for money. 

Four years out of the ring though, it will be tough. It’d be interesting to see where he is at now. Ricky was preparing for a fight. We saw him come back and have exhibitions. Sport, particularly boxing, when you see former champions, who were amazing elite athletes, come back and do it subpar, you know? And there is a nostalgia to it, but it’s not the same as watching Oasis at Wembley and you’re singing along and you want to go back again the next night? I think it’s slightly more uncomfortable when it comes to boxing. So if he goes through with it and he’s doing it for a great cause, great for him. I hope he enjoys himself and puts on a great show.

Pundit Arena: We saw Paulie Malignaggi coming back and fighting bare knuckle like James DeGale did recently. Were you surprised to see him doing that?

GG: Seeing ex-fighters coming back and fighting bare knuckle, it’s not a good look, is it? And then Paulie Malignaggi, you’d hope he’s getting paid really well because he’s taken some trauma. The video that he put out after there was two massive splits in his forehead. His face was visibly swollen. I was watching it, I think in public, so I didn’t have the volume on. I’m sure he was hoping for a spectacular knockout win and then maybe get called up into a Misfits and actually have a bit of influence of boxing. And you can see why ex-fighters would chase influence boxing, but bare knuckle? Guys! It’s brutal! It’s not for us. We are brutal fighters. Even with our hands bandaged up and with gloves on we still come out with a sore knuckle and a dodgy wrist and a cut face. So leave it alone I would say

Pundit Arena: Dave Allen fell foul of Makhmudov, the big scary Russian. There is talk of this Matchroom curse. Do you think there’s anything to that or it’s just a case of bad matchmaking?

GG: Hey, maybe I just think there was a Sauerland curse and I felt so sorry for them because I signed with them and had lost my first fight and then they went on a bit of a run of being unlucky with their UK signings. But yeah, maybe. I think that was a tough fight for Dave Allen all along, but that’s not why people buy into him anyway. He’s in some ways a larger than life character. Everyone wants to know him, everyone wants to be his friend, he’s so down to earth and the down to earth guys are the guys that get beat. Ben Whitaker is not down to earth; he can’t get beat, right? Dave Allen, wherever he wins or loses, he probably still comes out with more value. 

Pundit Arena: He probably got his best payday of his career, so maybe he’s just happy with that? 

GG: And do you know what, like so much needs to be said for that. And if it is the truth and you hope it is the truth, because we talk about fighters struggling with their mental health at the end of their careers, but really you have to keep a grip on reality during your career because if you lose grip on reality during your career, you’ve certainly got no chance at the end of it because you have a crisis of identity, not knowing who you are and where you belong. If you’re no longer the fighter, if you’re no longer getting paid life changing money on one night’s work, you have to come to terms with that. And he seems like Dave Allen, he’s had a bit of a rollercoaster ride throughout his career. He had some lows, but some sensational highs and seems happy and content with what he’s gotten out of boxing, so I hope that is the case. 

Pundit Arena: Do you ever find it hard being critical on air, knowing you’ve been in the ring and you know what it takes bravery wise to step in there?

GG: No, I don’t, I’ve got a free pass. I can say what I like because I’ve been there, done it and I’ve experienced it and I have experienced quite a lot. Dizzying heights of success and nauseating lows of defeat and everything in between. I’ve had people boo me on the way into the ring, cheer me on the way out, and then a year later not even bother to tune in and it is a lot for a lot of people to compute and contain, but ultimately if I love being ringside, calling the fights. Hopefully an eyes and ears from someone who’s experienced it and try to articulate it in a way that hardcore boxing fans can understand as well as your casual boxing fans can understand. But yeah I think I’ve got a pass and if someone ain’t performed, then I can call them out on it. I’ll let them know and at the same time, if someone’s done better but they’re not quite getting the credit for it, then I’ll leap to their defense. Sometimes you’ll say something and you’re like, “oh have I been a bit too harsh? Have I not?” I’m not quite good at doing the click bait stuff yet, but I’m lucky I get asked.

Pundit Arena: Have you ever had anyone call you out for something you’ve said about them or their performance in the ring?

GG: Maybe, definitely when I was boxing, everyone called me up about what I was saying, and obviously I was being provocative and when I’m calling a fight, I don’t want the fighters to watch it back with their family and go, “ah you’re being too harsh, well, you’ve ruined it for me.” Because I’ve had times where I’ve watched my own fights back and I thought the commentary wasn’t up to scratch. It sort of ruins the fight for you. You watch it on mute or try to find the American broadcast and see if they are any better. Sometimes I’ll watch it in Polish with the subtitles, so you give constructive criticism or constructive feedback. I’d love it if a fighter watched the fight back and there’s a bit of analysis that I’m giving at the time and they go, “he’s right. Maybe I will work on that in the gym.” That would be like I’ve excelled at the job, probably never happened, probably never will happen. But that would be, that would be good. I can’t think now if anyone’s come and given me stick. I remember Dillian Whyte sticking it on me when I asked a question about the failed drugs test and we were doing a broadcast out in Saudi and it was Joshua fighting out there and he’s like, ”I can’t talk about that.” And I was like, ”okay.” But what are we supposed to say? You’re now fit to fight, so what should we say? And he’s just like, “I can’t talk about it, my lawyer.” I said, okay. I think he’s alright with me since.

Pundit Arena: Eddie Hearn and Dana White have had a bit of a back and forth recently. Hypothetically speaking, if they were to get in the ring, who’s your money on?

GG: I don’t know because Eddie’s tall but I think he’s a bit fragile. Do you know what I mean? I think he’s a bit fragile. I think he talks a tremendous game and I reckon his mouth has got him out of a lot of problems throughout his career with that gift of the gab. But I think Dana White, he’s probably in slightly tougher shape and he has to deal with some cavemen in that UFC. I reckon Dana White, it might take him a round or two to break him down and get past that long jab, but once he gets inside, body shot, bang.

Pundit Arena: Who is the best boxing promoter right now? Hearn and Matchroom, Warren and Queensberry or Shalom and Boxxer? 

GG: I think they’re all good, I think they’re all very good in their own way. Frank Warren, you can’t write him off because his longevity within the sport is phenomenal. I think he’s in some ways old school and old school can work, but old schools also don’t work. So I think you wouldn’t write off Frank Warren, Eddie Hearn probably the self-proclaimed greatest promoter in the world right now. He certainly is the best at promoting himself, which has a significant value. Don King was famous because he had a funny haircut and he would pull off some unbelievable deals because he was a big personality. I’ve seen Eddie Hearn in action, I’ve seen him walk into a room and charm the pants off everyone in the room and when he had no right to do so. So I really rate his presence, I think he’s a fantastic promoter. Ben Shalom, he’s getting some deals done. You can’t write off a guy who made sure he’s in the right place, right time to fill that void when Eddie left and he came out of nowhere, there was Hatton promotions, there was Sauerlands around, there were a lot of other strong contenders. He came in and got exclusivity at Sky. Some people say it didn’t work out for him, he’s lost his deal with Sky. But then he announces a deal with BBC, if this BBC deal comes to fruition and it might change the landscape of boxing right now, back to putting it on the main broadcaster, free to air. And we’ll find out what BBC’s reach is. We don’t know because a long time ago they were covering boxing, the Audley Harrison days, but time has changed, online platforms are so much bigger than they were. So I rate Ben Shalom for being able to pull off these deals. I think who knows the most about boxing? probably none of them. They’re coming at it from different angles, I don’t know what they know about spotting talent. 

Pundit Arena: The accusation I’ve seen aimed at Matchroom is that sometimes they just wait for the Olympics and then cherry pick who’s won a medal. Or then they wait for a great boxer to have a son and then the son grows up and they sign him…

GG: Warren will sign on a lot of fighters and maybe some will come through. Hearn seems to be a lot more selective, he’s got Pat Brown, he’s got Leo Atang, heavyweight, looks brilliant and he’s decided that Ben Whittaker’s coming to me. He’s made a statement with it, like there’s only one place he can go. And in terms of the promotion, if you saw the video they did to announce it, it was great. Eddie, he’s done a great Jerry Maguire, that’s probably not the first time he’s done it. He’s probably done that speech, a couple of thousand times in the mirror I reckon.

Pundit Arena: Do you think we’re going to see more drama in the build up to Conor Benn and Chris Eubank Jr the rematch? Is there going to be a bit more of a tone down promotion now?

GG: Well, I think it’s got a lot to try and live up to because the first fight was so good? You can reinvent the wheel so many times. But if Eubank Junior shows up in a new Louis Vuitton jacket, will it be that much different from the last few he’s worn? So you get to those levels where the fight, everything that’s thrown behind it and anything is newsworthy, but in terms of egging Conor Benn at a weigh-in and then Eubank Senior showing up out in the back of the taxi, out the back of a Rolls Royce and you knew it was coming. It was the end of that series that you’ve been watching on Netflix, you’ve been typing on your phone a bit, and you are like, no, no, no. Come on, watch this. Don’t lose track of it and then a couple episodes in the middle you’re like, the final’s going to be good and the final was good. They pulled out all the stops and the fight delivered. So I think both fighters, if they just talk about the war that we’re going to have at the end, that’s more than enough for us casual boxing fans and some of the hardcore boxing fans. I can’t see anything else apart from the war, you can’t see Eubank Jr coming out and trying to box, or even Conor Benn coming out and trying to fight off the back foot. They’ve both got to close the distance, they’ve got to punch inside. And someone’s gotta land heavy on the other guy because neither guy will want to have another 12 rounds dust up like that.