Former world champion George Groves is backing his old rival Chris Eubank Jr, to come away with a victory this coming Saturday night in Manchester, where he faces Liam Smith in a grudge match.

Eubank has fought as high as super middleweight, where he dropped a decision several years ago to Groves. Smith has primarily competed at junior middleweight, where he captured a world title.

Groves could see Eubank pull off a stoppage win - if he targets the body throughout the fight.

“I've got a Eubank win. If he loses it's his own fault. That sounds like you're taking something away from Liam Smith. But the truth is Liam Smith is a good, solid, well-rounded pro.," Groves told Sky Sports.

“[Smith] was an elite amateur, he won an ABA title, he's from a boxing family. He's been a professional now for 12-plus years and he lives the life, he's working hard, he's been in big fights, he's a former world champion but he's giving away a lot of size against Eubank. [Eubank is] not in the company of losing, he's not in the mindset of losing.

“If he punches with spite and volume, he might even stop Liam Smith, who has been stopped before by Canelo Alvarez who is obviously a pound-for-pound fighter. But he can be hurt, he can be hurt to the body. If Eubank targets the body I think he might stop him.”

On the other hand, Groves believes the career of Eubank, as far as a top fighter at the weight, would likely be over if he loses to Smith.

He feels the road to recovery, on the back of a loss to Smith, would be far too long for Eubank at this stage of his career.

“I think it would be extremely tough to come back from. Never write anyone off in that regard. I don't know what Eubank's intentions are after this. I'd love to see him chase a world title fight after this, a middleweight world title fight," Groves said.

“It'll be tough to come back from. But if he still feels young and fresh enough, then he could do. It might not be the be-all and end-all where he'd walk away from the game. But it'll be pretty tough.”