Groves extended his unbeaten record to 12 fights

George Groves brought closer a British super-middleweight fight with Olympic champion James DeGale after stopping Ghanaian Daniel Allotey on Saturday.

Unbeaten Commonwealth champion Groves recorded a clinical fourth-round win over the southpaw in Huddersfield.

"The DeGale fight is coming up and [when it happens] it will be a Groves win," he told Sky Sports.

Meanwhile, Gary Sykes got up off the canvas to beat Carl Johanneson and keep his British super-featherweight title.

Sykes, 27, was floored in the ninth round but still took the decision, with the ringside judges scoring the fight 116-112, 115-112 and 115-113.

The champion dominated the early exchanges but looked fatigued in the middle rounds and was put down by a huge right from 32-year-old Johanneson.

But Sykes recovered and edged the later rounds as Johanneson's pace slowed.

The Dewsbury boxer, who suffered the first defeat of his career at the hands of Gary Buckland in November's Prizefighter tournament, now hopes to fight for a European title.

Groves did not have his Commonwealth belt on the line against Allotey but easily extended his unbeaten record to 12 fights after twice putting his opponent on the floor during the fourth round.

"It would have been stupid not to get a southpaw in with the James DeGale fight coming up," he added.

"It will be a Groves win, whether it comes by knockout or points, I don't really care. He knows that I've got his number."

Groves' trainer Adam Booth said: "The fight has to happen. I have been speaking with James' people on a daily basis and we are very close to making an announcement."

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