'He's a good fighter but he didn't show it" claims Eubank Sr after his son's points loss

The former two-weight world champion was in his son's corner as he lost a unanimous points decision in the semi-final of the World Boxing Super series.

Eubank Jr’s IBO super-middleweight world title and Groves’ WBA ‘super’ world title were both at stake at the MEN Manchester Arena.

In the post-fight press conference, Eubank Jr’s father - also a former super-middleweight world champion - admitted his son under-performed and did not showcase his talent.

He said: “He didn’t perform. He’s a lot better than what you saw tonight because he was just loading up, I mean it’s the cold, hard truth of it.

“He’s a good fighter but he didn’t show it. No combinations, just power, but it’s okay you live and learn.”

Eubank Sr is no stranger to high-profile domestic clashes as he had a bitter rivalry with fellow Brit Nigel Benn, which saw the two clash on two occasions with more than half a billion people viewing the fights worldwide.

The Brighton man came away with one win over Benn and a draw and also had further domestic rivalries with the likes of Michael Watson, Steve Collins and Joe Calzaghe.

Groves is the second Brit to beat Eubank Jr, following on from current WBO middleweight world champion Billy Joe Saunders' success back in 2014 as he edged out a split-decision win over Eubank Jr.

Eubank Sr was full of praise when talking about the tactics of the Hammersmith man at the post-fight press conference: “George fought the precisely correct fight. Always standing off, always fighting, pretending to come in but didn’t.

“When Jr got in, held and actually manhandled and tied him up, perfect tactics. We congratulate him.”

Eubank Sr went on to say he agreed with the judges' verdict and believes his son will too once he has seen it.

Eubank Jr said he will have to watch the fight back to analyse the decision as he felt he did enough to earn the victory in the immediate aftermath of the fight.

He said: “I need to watch it back, in my mind I did enough in the later rounds to nick the fight but I have to look back at it because obviously I don't see what the judges see and I don't see what the public saw.

“It was a very close fight, I was hurting him. He was pretty much close to being out of there, so you know it's hard for me to say that he beat me but I’ll watch the fight back and analyse it.”

Groves advances into the final of the WBSS and will face the winner of the other semi-final between Liverpool's Callum Smith and former light-heavyweight world champion Juergen Braehmer.