MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Carl Froch retained his WBA and IBF super-middleweight titles with a ninth-round knockout of George Groves in an all-British fight at Manchester Arena on Saturday.
The referee intervened to call an end to the fight by technical knockout after Froch, who had been knocked down in the first round, landed some meaningful punches midway through the ninth.
Groves protested that he was OK and boos rang out around the 21,000-seat arena.
It was Froch’s 32nd win in 34 fights, and Groves’ first loss in 20 bouts.
