Johnny Nelson wonders if the IBF decision will work against George Groves, financially at least

I suppose the good news for George Groves - and us fight fans - is that he will get another shot at Carl Froch.

If I was George Groves and I was adamant, convinced I was going to beat Carl Froch - and he is - and it is the biggest payday out there, I would take it. End of. I know there are always going to be wrangles about the seven-figure deal but the bottom line is no matter who else Groves can get a fight with, he will not make nearly as much money as he will if he fights Froch. Even Andre Ward, who is the best in the division, would not bring that sort of money into the mix and whether you believe the amount we have all been talking about, the chances of getting even close to that are very, very slim. As for Froch, well he even said on Ringside that his fight with Groves will happen, just didn't say when and didn't seem over-the-moon. But I do think this fight will happen. Carl Froch is not going to give away any of his belts that's for sure. He has told us all before that he has had to work so hard in the ring to win those titles and they have got him where he is today, that he is not going to give them away to anyone. It did look like Julio Cesar Chavez Jr was next in Froch's diary but the fact that he has to give Brian Vera a rematch in March. Add the 90-day ruling from the IBF then it looks like it might have to wait. Even if Froch was off to Las Vegas to fight him next, Groves would still get his chance. Froch says he's got two fights left in him and if he does not give one of them to Groves he will never get rid of it. He is a proud man and I think all the criticism he has got following 'that stoppage' has affected him, even if he says it hasn't.

Remember

There is no grey area with Froch, he is black and white and this situation doesn't sit well with him. I remember Wladimir Klitschko saying that David Haye could not retire the way he ended his career because for the rest of his life people would always talk about it, bring it up and it would never let him walk with his head held high. Haye came back and even though he is not his biggest fan, Klitschko admitted he'd done the right thing. If Froch doesn't get in with Groves again he will have a huge thunder cloud hanging over his head for the rest of time - and it won't go away. People will not let him forget it, that's for sure. Personally I always thought it would happen and right now, I would say right it could be at the start of June before the World Cup - providing the IBF stretch their 90-day ruling. Maybe even the end of March? That is for another day. Admittedly Froch says it doesn't really float his boat right now but I just wonder whether these two bitter rivals are now in a game of poker, trying to push the other one as far as they can. I do think Groves has the weakest hand because he is the challenger, but no matter what we think of the IBF decision, it will now happen. Before I could see Groves pushing him, winding him up too far, but not anymore. Carl Froch does not give up his belts for nothing.