George Groves moved closer to a fourth shot at a world title after earning a unanimous-decision victory over Eduard Gutknecht at Wembley’s SSE Arena.

The 28-year-old provided the latest demonstration he has rediscovered his finest form when securing his fourth win of 2016 via scores of 119-110, 119-109 and 119-109 on the three judges’ scorecards.

Victory leaves him in contention to challenge for the vacant WBA super-middleweight title early next year. He has lost each of his previous three world-title fights but his latest performance suggested he has the momentum required finally to succeed.

As early as the opening bell the 34-year-old Gutknecht – born in Kazakhstan but fighting out of Germany – sprinted to Groves and landed a right hand before receiving a counter. For many of the opening rounds each maintained a high work-rate while being hittable but Gutknecht’s ability to close the distance restricted the power in Groves’ punches.

Gutknecht is known for an amateur victory over the feared Gennady Golovkin without threatening such a level as a professional. He took numerous big rights from Groves in the sixth, seventh and eighth rounds, displaying good resistance even if it suggested he was being worn down.

When he was already clearly behind on the scorecards, another intense assault in the ninth opened a significant cut by his swollen left eye that further reduced his chances of going the distance. Impressively he succeeded in taking further punishment as the aggressive Groves continued to land with powerful combinations and counters, surviving to the final bell and inevitably dropping the decision.

After the fight Gutknecht fell ill in his changing room and was taken out on a stretcher to hospital.

The victory means Groves has four wins from four since appointing Shane McGuigan as his new trainer after fighting under Paddy Fitzpatrick for the last time last year when losing to the WBC champion Badou Jack.

Defeat by Jack had followed two further unconvincing performances after he had impressed despite losing twice to Carl Froch but finally winning a world title next year could prove exceptional timing.

His long-term rival and IBF champion, James DeGale, faces Jack in the unification fight in January that will establish the 168lb-division’s leading fighter. Should DeGale and Groves continue to win, a rematch six years after their first professional fight would become one of the biggest British match-ups that could be made in 2017.