In fact, George Groves fancies himself as a boxing judge and executioner heading into tonight's rematch after suggesting Carl Froch is "on death row".

In reference to Froch's advancing years, Groves said: "He is going to have to face the inevitable. He is like a man on death row and I can't imagine that would be very nice.

"I don't need to antagonise Carl Froch any more. I want him to be at peace because it is dawning on him that his day of reckoning is fast approaching. It's going to hit him like a slap in the face.

"It might hit him when I land a left hook on his chin, or it might hit him on the ring walk, but it will hit him."

Image source, Getty Images

In terms of his pre-fight bluster, there's a touch of the Muhammad Alis about George Groves. He loves to make the odd prediction in fight week and, after correctly predicting he would floor Froch with two rights in the first fight, he is now saying he will knock out the champion with a left hook tonight.

"It'll be the left hook that finishes Carl Froch on Saturday," said Groves. "Anyone who's watched the workouts will know we've been working on left hooks and the left hook will work."

Is that a pre-defined plan? Or something to distract Froch with on fight night, as he looks out for a left hook and gets floored by a swift right?

Carl Froch's trainer Rob McCracken, speaking to Sky Sports prior to the fight: "It is a big fight, there is a lot of pressure on both fighters. I don't concern myself about the occasion, I concern myself with Carl. He is a very close personal friend of mine. I want to make sure he is healthy, safe and victorious on the night. He has prepared the way he is supposed to. He has applied himself. Groves is a very good fighter, a dangerous fighter, it is another tough job but one Carl always takes on. I know it is a huge event, it is fantastic for British boxing, it is the stuff of dreams. It is fantastic for Carl in his career and he is has deserved it."

Ben Dirs
BBC Sport at Wembley Stadium

"They're all out tonight - Michael Watson has just taken his seat and here's the monocled mutineer, Chris Eubank.

"In the ring in 10 minutes..."

BBC Radio 5 live

Former two-time world champion Amir Khan on BBC Radio 5 live: "It's just an amazing event, the place is electrifying. Everyone talks about the fights in America but here in Britain this is an incredible event, it's just great for British boxing. The biggest boxing venue in the world is MGM Grand in Las Vegas but after that it's definitely Wembley. I've got a taste for it here and I would love to fight Floyd Mayweather here.

"For the first fight I said George Groves and now I'm saying Groves again. He seems confident, he's mentally ready and physically he is ready so I'm going for Groves."

Listen to commentary by clicking 'Live Coverage' at the top of this page from 21:00 BST, or listen via radio.

In the build-up to this fight, and indeed the first encounter, Carl Froch appears to have been continually wound up by George Groves. The challenger has been getting under the skin of the Cobra with some well-directed barbs, and even with some of his actions - which included Groves turning up with a Rubik's cube in the news conference held to unveil the rematch. Will any of this have an impact? I've no idea, but BBC Sport's Ben Dirs has been mulling it all over as he tries to pick a winner.

Image source, Getty Images

So how is Carl Froch, who has been beaten only twice in 34 fights, feeling heading into tonight's contest?

"I feel really good," he told BBC Sport. "This is the fight that makes sense. Two or three days after the first fight we decided I was going to fight George Groves again anyway it was just about getting it right and Wembley Stadium is getting it right.

"If I didn't fight George Groves I wouldn't have heard the end of it. Let's be honest, it would not have gone away. He would not have gone away. I'm satisfying everybody as well as myself with this match."

Mike Costello
BBC Radio 5 live commentator

"I think at some stage during the contest there will be some fascinating exchanges. George Groves will try to create more space and keep it as a boxing contest for as long as he can but at some stage Carl Froch will close down the ring space and over the course of the rounds those clubbing shots to the body - that wear and tear which Froch inflicts on his opponents - will count. Froch to win."

Trainer Virgil Hunter: "I'm one of the few guys who thinks George Groves was hurt when the fight was stopped last time. He fell into the referee. But, to give him credit, he did what he said he would do in the first round. However, he took too much out of himself in the sixth round. He wanted to prove a point but that can be damaging - he could have been just as effective without expending as much energy.

"If he's patient and boxes, he can make this second fight a better one. He wasn't brawling in the first round when he knocked down Carl Froch - he countered - and he should have stayed like that. My gut feeling is that Groves will win this time, on a closely-fought decision... if he learns to pace himself."

Lennox Lewis, the first British boxer to hold the undisputed heavyweight world championship since Bob Fitzsimmons,tweeted:, external "If my guy Carl Froch doesn't knock out George Groves on Saturday night as I have predicted then I'll return my psychic license."

BBC Radio 5 live

Ex-world welterweight champion Paulie Malignaggi: "In the moment, you want to hurt your opponent because if you don't do the damage to him he will do the damage to you. You do want to win in a safe way and in moments where you hurt your opponent, you want to finish him off. The moment the fight is over, you want to do it because that means there is no more hurt and it's all over."

BBC Radio 5 live

Image source, Getty Images

England cricket captain Alastair Cook, who has dashed down from Lord's to make it in time for the big fight: "I love my boxing. We always watch it on TV and I can't believe I'm here. I can't believe how small the ring is - there's no place to hide. It's man against man. It's amazing."

Listen to commentary by clicking 'Live Coverage' at the top of this page from 21:00 BST, or listen via radio.

Steve Bunce
BBC Radio 5 live boxing pundit

"Carl Froch traditionally stays at home for his training camp, surrounded by his family. He hasn't done that this time. Steve Collins, before he used to fight, would purposefully not speak to his wife, family and kids and check into the worst B&B around and that meant he would become horrific to be around - being deprived of things motivates a fighter and builds resentment towards their opponent."

Mike Costello
BBC Radio 5 live commentator

"There will be wear and tear following Carl Froch's previous 11 world title fights. After the fight, we can all go home and eat and drink but the boxers have to deal with the pain once the adrenaline wears off. Carl's spoken to me about that in the build-up to this fight. After one fight he was so concussed he couldn't remember his best friend's name. When they get up on Saturday morning, both men know their work will bring them real pain. It takes a special breed of person to deal with that."

Ex-world welterweight champion Paulie Malignaggi: "The pain is worth it because the chance to accomplish big things comes because you have worked your way to the top. Plus you're getting a big cheque too - that always makes you feel better! You train every day for months so when it comes to fight night you don't think about the pain, you know you have to go to work for one more night and then you're done with the training. I used to look forward to it ending."

What must be going through the minds of the two fighters right about now? They are minutes away from walking out in front of 80,000 people, knowing they are likely to get hurt - win, lose or (can you imagine) draw!

Mike Costello
BBC Radio 5 live commentator

"When Adam Booth signed George Groves, he phoned me to ask my opinion of the young amateur. I said I thought he reminded me of a young Nigel Benn. I think that still applies because when he hurts somebody his instinct is to charge in. He has the skills to beat Carl Froch, no question, but he has to do it over 12 rounds and he has to learn when to attack and when to take cover."

What defines a big fight? Well, for starters, it needs Michael Buffer bellowing 'Let's get ready to rumble!' before it to stand any chance of being in the elite category.

BBC Sport's Jimmy Smallwood caught up with the legendary master of ceremonies earlier this week, and the 69-year-old said his iconic catchphrase was inspired by the one and only Muhammad Ali.

"I wanted a handle, a hook, just like at the big car races: 'Gentlemen, start your engines!' I wanted something that would bring that energy back, because the fighters were the stars of the show and I wanted to introduce them with the energy they deserved," said Buffer.

"I tried a few versions and nothing seemed right. But then I thought about the great Muhammad Ali - 'rumble, young man, rumble'. And in interviews I had heard him say 'I'm ready to rumble'. I fine-tuned that to what you will hear today."

Robin Chipperfield
BBC Radio Nottingham

BBC Radio Nottingham's Robin Chipperfield: "Tonight at Wembley, I am reflecting on how far Carl has come in a comparatively short space of time. While preparing our coverage for the weekend, we found an archive clip of Carl talking before one of his early fights, and how satisfied he sounded when he proclaimed that he'd have "600-800 fans" cheering him on.

"These are different days. Many of us in Nottingham felt Carl was not receiving the publicity and adulation he deserved while successfully touring the boxing backwaters in Finland, Denmark and America. Over the past few years, thanks to his performances and promoter Eddie Hearn, he's made the breakthrough to become well known beyond boxing and sport. If he wins, the possibilities are endless."

Robin Chipperfield
BBC Radio Nottingham

"Beginning to fill up nicely. Live on BBC Radio Nottingham and Radio 5 live."