By Elliot Foster

Chris Eubank Jr. has been told to reassess his career after a points defeat to George Groves on Saturday.

The Brighton fighter lost by unanimous decision against George Groves at Manchester Arena, exclusively live on ITV Box Office, succumbing his IBO super-middleweight title to the Hammersmith man who retained his WBA Super title.

Groves, who came out with a 117-112, 116-112 and 115-113 unanimous decision as well as a suspected dislocated shoulder at the end of 12 entertaining rounds, was hoisted up by his coach Shane McGuigan at the final bell.

And it was McGuigan –– the former trainer of Carl Frampton who guided Groves to a world title victory at the fourth time of asking last May –– who was scathing of Eubank Jr. in the aftermath of the fight

“We beat them on many, many different levels,” McGuigan said.

“Eubank Jr looked lost in there tonight. I feel like he needs to go and reassess his career. I believe he’s a middleweight.

“His willingness to come back after being under pressure impressed me, but I think he should go back down to middleweight, get a new team around him –– not cowboys –– and rebuild.”

Groves, with the win, advanced to the final of the World Boxing Super Series super-middleweight tournament and will face the winner of Callum Smith’s WBC Diamond super-middleweight world title defence against Juergen Braehmer, which takes place on February 24 at the Arena Nurnberger Versicherung in Nuremberg, Germany, in the final on June 2 at the O2 Arena in London.

The vacant Ring Magazine title is set to be at stake at the final, along with the IBO, WBA Super and WBC Diamond crowns, with the winner being crowned the Ali Trophy champion.

But after Groves suffered the aforementioned suspected dislocated shoulder in his fight against Eubank Jr., McGuigan admitted that it was a “massive concern” that his man may not make the final, with scope for it to be moved by only a matter of weeks rather than months.

Groves, on the other hand, is adamant that he will be in the ring on the night.

"It is vitally important to me in my boxing career to go on and achieve what is now the dream of winning the World Boxing Super Series," said 29-year-old Groves whose “health is paramount”, according to coach McGuigan.

"I've worked so hard. I've had two big fights to get into the final. I need to go and see the specialist to find out what the recovery time is.

"That said, June 2 might still work. We haven't had that information yet.

"The shoulder feels great after being put back in place. I'm confident that I will be challenging for the Muhammad Ali trophy. This is going to be my trophy –– I want it."

Groves said on social media that a "medical update on the shoulder [will be] coming soon".