Photo by Matthew Lewis/Getty Images

Carl Froch stopped George Groves with an enormous straight right hand at 2:34 of the eighth round of their rematch before an estimated 80,000 Saturday at Wembley Stadium in London.

Froch (33-2, 24 knockouts) had Groves pinned against the ropes when he pawed with his left and followed with a perfect right to the chin, which put the younger man down on his back – with his leg bent awkwardly – and hurt him. Referee Charlie Fitch looked directly into Groves eyes and stopped the fight without counting.

Froch’s knockout of Groves in November was controversial because the stoppage seemed to be pre-mature. No one will question the stoppage on Saturday.

Groves (19-2, 15 KOs) seemed to get the better of Froch for at least four rounds, landing many crisp jabs and some hard power shots from the outside. However, the tide seemed to turn in the fifth, when Froch attacked with more abandon and landed punches in flurries. That included many telling blows to Groves’ body.

Still, the fight was competitive until Froch’s big right hand gave him the victory.

Froch now is in a good position to face either Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. or Gennady Golovkin in a big-money fight, probably in the United States.

A full report will follow shortly.