James DeGale and George Groves were rivals for the entirety of their professional careers, but could that feud be reignited? 

Amateur foes whilst both representing the same Dale Youth ABC in London, DeGale and Groves were never close despite both fighting for the same club. 

Groves won their amateur meeting when the pair collided in 2006, but it was DeGale who would have the last laugh in the unpaid code as he used the defeat to spur him on and win Olympic gold in 2008 in Beijing. 

As professionals, both made impressive starts to their careers, and they finally met again in a blockbuster clash at London’s O2 Arena in 2011. 

Once again, Groves had DeGale’s number as he won on the scorecards by the narrowest of margins as both fighters approached the contest cautiously without wanting to take risk and making a costly mistake. 

Moving forward after that bout, both men would win world titles at super-middleweight, but they wouldn't meet again despite speculation linking them to a third meeting. 

Groves retired from boxing in 2018 and DeGale walked away the following year, but the latter’s recent return to bareknuckle boxing has prompted talk of another clash between the pair. 

DeGale was successful against Matty Floyd this year, a fight Groves watched, and now the Hammersmith man has revealed he would be open to renewing hostilities with DeGale in a new sporting environment. 

“Yeah, absolutely, Yeah,” said Groves when speaking to IFLTV on the possibility of fighting DeGale under bareknuckle rules. 

“I’m intrigued by it, and I like anything that has a bit of showmanship.”