Froch v Groves II: The Panel reflect on their own big nights
From Glasgow to Thailand, Jim Watt, Johnny Nelson and Glenn McCrory look back on their biggest nights
Wednesday 21 May 2014 14:32, UK
skysports.com: Carl Froch and George Groves will go head-to-head in front of a sold out crowd of 80,000 fans at Wembley. What was your biggest night in the ring?
skysports.com: Froch v Groves II could well be the most pressurised environment either boxer has experienced, how can you relate to that from your big night? JIM: It does bring pressure. When I fought in Glasgow to win the world title I was a little but uptight because I was so worried. I was 31 and I knew I wouldn't get another chance and I probably lost a couple of those earlier rounds just because it had got to me and I was a pent up. But when the fight reaches those hard parts, in the second half of the fight, everyone is right behind you, screaming your name. That definitely lifts you and then you reap the benefits. I was pretty confident and comfortable when I had a world title to lose as I was in my backyard. GLENN: It is great to go and box somewhere like the Albert Hall but I didn't really do myself justice and to be honest, I never expected to. But Stanley, my home village, was something else and cannot be beat. It was the first world title fight ever in the North East when I fought Patrick Lumumba and I was the first world champion - it was in my home which should not have world-title fights in! The atmosphere was absolutely amazing. There were only about 3,500 but they made more noise than 30,000. They were mental! JOHNNY: I was being looked after but all of a sudden Kulpin flew in for that weigh-in and the locals just jumped ship and all of a sudden wanted him to knock me out. Traitors! That did take away any pressure really, because no-one knew what was going on back home and, to be honest, I was confident I could do the job. Everyone was watching, everybody was there and it was kind of exciting. Local political leaders, the mayor, anyone who was a high up the ladder was there and I remember thinking 'the other lad had all the pressure on him'. I had nothing to lose - but I did let myself down when I fought on Nas' Full Monty card. I am a bit bitter about that. skysports.com: Froch and Groves will look back on their saga as a highlight of their careers, but what is your memory of your big night? JIM: When the fight was over I knew I had won and everyone knew I had won; you could see it, even Davis's camp. I looked into the crowd and they were waving Scotland flags, the tammies; it looked more like a Scotland football match, not a Jim Watt boxing fight. So I told Terry Lawless to get the microphone off the MC and I'll get everyone singing Flower Of Scotland. He told me to get lost, but I told him we would have a bit of fun! I was on cloud nine, so I started signing and the whole stadium joined in. That was one of my endearing memories. GLENN: Albert Hall will stick in the memory. It went off in the car park after the Boxing Writers' Dinner and I knew I had to jump the queue and rile Lennox to get the fight. I had to get some money and I got the big fight - but, in hindsight, I should have taken on the taxman instead. I knew I was on course for a hiding and Lennox gave me the battering of my life that night. I don't think I've ever seen him start a fight so ferociously. I think I did get under his skin a bit - he told me he was worried about my left hook - but I think he respected me for having the balls to call him out like that. We became friends afterwards and even went on holiday together. JOHNNY: The fight was nothing to write home about but it is the build-up that I will never forget. I remember the weigh-in and they had us walking through the city on thrones that four guys carried over their shoulders. When Floyd Mayweather did it, I thought 'I've been there, seen it, done it!' It was unreal. This was a proper show - it was like there was some sort of royalty there - and it must have cost a bit, too. Helicopters were above giving me an escort, people were lining the streets, it was genuinely unbelievable. I was like Elvis!
