Carl Froch has branded George Groves “paranoid” for demanding neutral officials for the pair’s super-middleweight world title rematch at Wembley in May.
Groves complained of bias to the British Boxing Board of Control after referee Howard Foster stopped November’s first title bout in the ninth round, handing controversial victory to defending champion Froch.
Londoner Groves will refuse to fight Froch at Wembley on May 31 unless the BBBofC grant his demand for non-British officials.
Non-plussed Froch does not believe Groves’ call will jeopardise the keenly-anticipated fight, that could set a new post-war British attendance record.
“I personally can’t believe it, and I’m not happy about it,” said 36-year-old Froch. “We’re all in this sport together, and the British Boxing Board of Control do a fantastic job.
“To say that we don’t want them officiating potentially the biggest fight in British boxing history, it almost makes a mockery of the British Boxing Board of Control.
“It’s a real shame, we’ve got two British fighters, we’re going to leave it all in the ring, you’ve got to give George Groves a lot of credit for how he performed in his first fight, he did a good job.
“We would like to think that our referees, our officials, our judges could play a part in the whole event. Possibly he’s paranoid about upsetting a lot of officials, from the last one, and he might feel it’s going to have some backlash.”
Groves claims referee Foster responded to a Facebook post suggesting Froch would win in the ninth round ahead of the first bout.
The Hammersmith-born fighter said his grievance with the BBBofC was appeased by the IBF issuing the mandatory rematch.
Now Groves has the fight, he is also battling against the appointment of officials he believes could fall prey to public prejudice.
“It’s conditional that there are no UK officials: otherwise I don’t ring walk,” said Groves. “I have respect for the British Boxing Board of Control, but they failed me in the first fight, this is a huge fight that has to take place.
“And if they insist upon placing one of their officials, who will be susceptible to the build-up then I won’t fight.
“Someone wrote a Facebook status along the lines of “looking good Carl Froch in the ninth” with a question-mark that he liked.
“It may sound pathetic but it’s a public statement on a social network for the whole world to see.”
