Boxing fans in Andover are being offered a rare opportunity to train with a former world champion when George Groves visits the town for an exclusive technical boxing seminar.
The former WBA super-middleweight world champion will head to BOX Andover on Saturday 17 October, where he will lead an intimate two-hour session limited to just 20 participants.
The event is being brought to the town by Justin Simmonds, of Simmonds Coaching, a long-term coach at BOX Andover who has worked as a Personal Trainer and Strength & Conditioning Coach for more than eight years.
A qualified boxing coach himself, Simmonds primarily uses boxing within fitness training rather than coaching competitive fighters and says the opportunity to bring one of Britain’s best-known former world champions to Andover is particularly exciting.
Simmonds said: “As a big boxing fan myself, I’m really excited to bring an opportunity like this to Andover.
“George had 28 wins from 32 professional fights, with 20 KO/TKOs, and was British, Commonwealth, European and WBA World Champion. He shared the ring with some of British boxing’s biggest names, including Carl Froch, James DeGale, Chris Eubank Jr and Callum Smith.
“The seminar is limited to just 20 participants, giving people the opportunity to spend two hours learning directly from George.
“He’ll cover boxing fundamentals, technique, movement and training methods, followed by Q&A and photos with George and his World Championship belt.”
Nicknamed ‘Saint George’, Groves was one of the leading figures in British boxing during an 11-year professional career which saw him compete at the highest level of the super-middleweight division.
The London fighter turned professional in 2008 and went on to claim the British and Commonwealth titles, including a memorable majority-decision victory over rival James DeGale at London’s O2 Arena in 2011.
Groves would later become a central figure in one of the biggest British boxing rivalries of the modern era when he challenged Carl Froch for the WBA and IBF super-middleweight world titles in 2013.
Groves sensationally dropped Froch in the opening round before the contest was stopped in the ninth, a decision which generated considerable controversy and enormous demand for a rematch.
The pair met again at Wembley Stadium in May 2014 in front of around 80,000 spectators, with Froch winning by an eighth-round knockout on what became one of the most memorable nights in recent British boxing history.
Groves continued his pursuit of a world championship and finally achieved his ambition at the fourth attempt in May 2017.
Facing Fedor Chudinov at Bramall Lane in Sheffield, Groves produced a sixth-round stoppage to capture the WBA super-middleweight world title.
His reign subsequently took him into the World Boxing Super Series, where he recorded another major victory by defeating Chris Eubank Jr by unanimous decision in Manchester in February 2018.
Groves’ final professional contest came against Callum Smith in the World Boxing Super Series final later that year, before he announced his retirement in January 2019.
He finished his professional career with 28 victories from 32 fights, including 20 wins inside the distance.
Now, rather than watching Groves from ringside, a small group of people in Andover will have the opportunity to learn directly from the former world champion.
The two-hour seminar will focus on boxing fundamentals, technique, movement and the training methods Groves used during his career, with the former champion adapting the session according to the experience and ability of those taking part.
The event is open to all levels, from beginners through to advanced participants, and to those aged 14 and over.
The deliberately small group of just 20 people is intended to make the seminar a more personal experience, allowing participants greater opportunity to interact with Groves and benefit from his technical knowledge.
Following the training session, there will also be a Q&A, giving those attending the chance to ask Groves about his career and experiences at the highest level of the sport.
Participants will then have the opportunity to have a photograph with Groves and his World Championship belt.
Simmonds added: “It’s open to all levels, age 14+, with George adapting the session to those taking part.”
The George Groves World Champion Boxing Seminar will take place at BOX Andover on Saturday 17 October from 11am.
Only 20 spaces are available, with anyone interested in taking part asked to contact Simmonds Coaching directly to book.