Fulham lead London race to host Chris Eubank Jr fight against George Groves

Arsenal and Chelsea could host Chris Eubank Jr’s potential clash against George Groves — but Fulham’s Craven Cottage has emerged as the front-runner.

Hammersmith’s Groves makes the first defence of his WBA super‑middleweight title against Swindon’s Jamie Cox at Wembley Arena on Saturday in the quarter‑finals of the World Boxing Super Series.

The winner will face Eubank in either January or February after the Briton surged into the semis with a third-round knockout of Turkey’s Avni Yildirim in Stuttgart on Saturday night.

Kalle Sauerland, one of the promoters behind the tournament, will this week fly to London for the clash between Groves and Cox and to run the rule over semi-final venues.

And, with their options for an indoor venue limited, they could take the fight outdoors despite the risk of bad winter weather.

They already have Wembley Arena on hold for late January but Sauerland is now exploring the possibility of staging the clash at a football ground.

Groves is a Chelsea fan and Stamford Bridge and Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium have been discussed while Brighton’s Falmer Stadium, in Eubank’s home town, is also in the running.

However, Standard Sport has been told Craven Cottage, the home of Fulham, is the most likely outdoor venue should Groves cement his place in the semi final.

Sauerland said: “The tournament dictates the dates so it has to be January or February, which also happens to be a very busy time for venues so you have to be creative with other options.

“We want as many people as possible to be able to see such a great event and that might mean taking it outdoors.

“At the moment when it comes to football grounds there are a few possibilities. We are hoping to speak to Arsenal and Brighton this week and we are waiting on Chelsea.

“We want to talk to four or five clubs but at the moment Fulham looks most realistic.

“Obviously going outside in January is difficult but on the other hand I grew up in England and I think it’s possible. Just put a coat on! I think that’s a fight you could put in a lot of places — Cardiff too.”

Should Cox upset the odds and beat Groves, it is likely the semi‑final match with Eubank would then be at Wembley Arena, with a decreased demand for tickets precluding the need for a stadium.

Eubank was impressive in his victory and said: “It was a spectacular fight against Yildirim but I feel like it was over too quickly. Personally, I like a fight where you get to really see both fighters box and go through it.”

Tickets for the Groves v Cox fight on Saturday are on sale at axs.com