Smith knocks out Groves to win WBA title, Ali Trophy
The World Boxing Super Series tournament ended with a KO.
Callum Smith promised that youth would overcome experience today in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and made good on his word, knocking out George Groves in the seventh round to claim the WBA super middleweight title and the Ali Trophy as winner of the World Boxing Super Series super middleweight tournament.
Smith (25-0, 18 KO) looked the fresher and more powerful fighter throughout, though Groves (28-4, 20 KO) was certainly in the fight. Smith had backed Groves down a couple of times prior to catching him in the seventh with a left hook off the temple, sending Groves stumbling back to the ropes, where Smith opened up.
A flurry against the ropes put Groves down, and referee Luis Pabon made a full 10-count with Groves kneeling on the canvas, defeated.
The official time of stoppage was 2:04 of round seven.
The victory not only gives Smith, 28, the WBA title and the Ali Trophy, but also the RING Magazine title, which is just the third time that RING has crowned a champion at 168 pounds, after Joe Calzaghe and Andre Ward.