Boxing: Carl Froch hails career-best punch in victory over George Groves

Carl Froch has declared the huge right-hand that knocked George Groves unconscious during last night's Wembley encounter as the biggest and most satisfying of his career.

Froch's eighth-round victory over Groves meant he retained his IBF and WBA super-middleweight title in style and in front of 80,000 fans.

The crunching hit also emphatically settled the rivalry between the two fighters.

"That was the best punch of my life," Froch said.

"You define a good punch from what it means, and what that meant was the whole George Groves saga and the history of the fight came to an end.

"People will look back in years to come and say that was the right hand that finished it all off."

Froch added: "I just threw it, I didn't really try to knock him out. I didn't load up, I just threw the punch and just landed it lovely.

"It was just a lovely pear of a shot and it closed the show and that's what world-class fighters do."

Froch had previously beaten Groves in a ninth-round stoppage in November, but questions about the legitimacy of the victory, with Groves in particular claiming he was ahead on points at the time, led to a rematch and another victory for Froch, something he said had been made all the more rewarding.

"It's one of the most satisfying nights of my life - I've had the weight of the world on my shoulders," Froch said.

"I've had George Groves in the back of my ear hole for the last year because he was in my ear for the Kessler fight in May 2013. It's now May 2014.

"I've boxed Groves twice in a year and I've just not heard the end of it."

Froch, at 36 years old, knew that this fight was one that could come to define his career.

"It was a legacy fight - I've had such a long, fantastic career, I've been involved in so many top-level fights," Froch said. "But I said my legacy was at stake and it was, because unfortunately in boxing people remember you for your last fight."

He continued: "My career would have been over - I would have retired if I had lost tonight.

"In the biggest night in British fighting history post-war I didn't want to be remembered as a loser."

However he had some words of comfort for his vanquished foe.

"I told him not to go home and be too down and out or go on a downward spiral because you're a great fighter - you were in that fight up until that point," Froch explained. "I punch very hard and unfortunately I caught you with a shot that finished you off and that's boxing.

"It happens to some of the great fighters - you get hit with one shot and George hasn't quite got that toughness you need at the top, top level.

"I said that from the start - he's a good fighter, he's got quick hands, he's skilful and he's done a few bits as an amateur. But if I fight George Groves 10 times I beat him 10 times.

"That's not being big-headed, I've got ingredients you can't teach. You're born with them - toughness and heart and a mindset and a determination - you can't train that."

Froch added: "They say what doesn't kill you makes you stronger - that could kill him. I shouldn't use that word but it could finish him off or he could get determination from that and come back better.

"It's down to his character now, it's up to him. But who am I to give him advice? I don't think he likes me."

Despite a sense of animosity in the build-up to the fight and Groves' baiting of Froch, the defeated 26-year-old was magnanimous following his loss.

"Carl Froch is a strong, seasoned world champion and there's no quit in him," Groves said. "Fair play to Carl, he got the job done and was the better man on the night.

"I'm still 26 years old and I just boxed in front of 80,000 fans. I didn't get the result I wanted but I was boxing well and I'm sure I'm going to have a long boxing career ahead of me.

"I of course plan to be world champion still - and plan to be in the not too distant future."