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Froch-Groves has ingredients of British classic

By WTOP Staff

STEVE DOUGLAS
AP Sports Writer

Billed as one of the biggest fights in British boxing history, the second installment of Carl Froch vs. George Groves has the ingredients of a classic. Now it just has to live up to the expectations.

Saturday’s fight for Froch’s IBF and WBA super-middleweight titles will take place at Wembley Stadium in front of a record British boxing crowd of about 80,000 fans. It features an established champion against a young pretender and a score to settle after a controversial first fight.

The rematch has been a promoter’s dream because of the dramatic first fight in Manchester last November.

The 36-year-old Froch — arguably Britain’s top boxer of the past five years — was knocked down in the first round and exposed for more than half the bout by an upstart 11 years his junior. In the ninth round, Froch finally landed some meaningful punches of his own to leave Groves wobbling, but the challenger was still on his feet when the referee stepped in to end the fight.

With the crowd howling in derision, it was an unfortunate way to end a memorable fight. It was no surprise that the IBF ordered a rematch after Groves made a complaint, and the clamor for Froch-Groves II was already irresistible.

There will be unfinished business in London, with Groves intent on sending Froch into retirement.

“We’ve been working on left hooks,” Groves said Thursday. “We know the left hook will work and it will be the left hook that finishes Carl Froch on Saturday.”

Froch was riled by the in-your-face approach of Groves during the buildup to the Manchester fight, but he clearly underestimated his rival. He ended the fight with a bruised and puffy face, his reputation slightly damaged but still with a win on his record.

Robert McCracken, Froch’s trainer, revealed after the fight that he knew Froch would have trouble with Groves’ awkward style and fast start. Groves dominated the center of the ring, hounding Froch, and will look to do the same again on Saturday.

“I gave him the advantage in the first fight, allowed him to get comfortable and let his shots go,” said Froch, who has a 32-2 record, including losses to Mikkel Kessler and Andre Ward, and is contesting his 12th world title fight.

“I took too many steps back but I won’t be taking a backward step in this fight.”

Groves was jeered into the ring in Manchester and cheered out of it after his gutsy performance, which couldn’t prevent a first loss in 20 professional fights. On Saturday, he’ll be fighting in his home city and will likely be the fans’ favourite.

The fight has captured the British public’s imagination, so much so that Wembley — the home of English football — was regarded as the only setting big enough to satisfy demand.

The old Wembley hosted an unforgettable fight between Muhammad Ali and Henry Cooper in 1963. The last fight at Wembley was in 1995, when Frank Bruno beat Oliver McCall in a 12-round unanimous decision to capture the world heavyweight title.

Many members of England’s World Cup squad will be present. As will Zara Phillips, the granddaughter of Queen Elizabeth II, and her rugby-playing husband Mike Tindall.

It’s considered the biggest grudge match in British boxing since the days of the Nigel Benn-Chris Eubank rivalry in the early 1990s.

“It’s got that air about it, the air of importance,” Froch said. “With it being at the national stadium it’s obviously big. This is by far the biggest fight of my unbelievable career.

“It’s giving me the motivation and giving me the apprehension I need to perform at my best.”

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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