In July 2018 Rocky Fielding earned the biggest win of his career by beating Tyron Zeuge in Germany. The fifth round TKO earned the Liverpudlian the WBA “Regular” Super-Middleweight title.
Two months later in a hugely anticipated rematch in Las Vegas Canelo Alvarez defeated rival Gennadiy Golovkin to retain his two middleweight world titles. However, the Mexican fancied a brief dip into super-middleweight territory before returning to 160lbs.
The man selected to be his opponent was Fielding. “Rocky from Stocky” was about to receive the opportunity of a lifetime and be well paid for what looked like an impossible task on December 15, 2018, at Madison Square Garden, New York
Ahead of Canelo’s undisputed super-middleweight title defence against Jaime Munguia on Saturday (May 4) Boxing News has dipped into the archives to bring you John Dennen’s report on Canelo’s first fight at 168lbs.
Original headline: King of New York – Canelo Alvarez demolishes Rocky Fielding
We have learned a valuable lesson – facing Saul “Canelo” Alvarez is an agonizing ordeal. Only the cream of the crop in the sport can excel against him. Rocky Fielding is a formidable fighter, a sizable super-middleweight with powerful punches. However, even though Canelo was stepping out of his usual weight class, his skills were simply too exceptional, his speed unmatched, and he showed no mercy.
There was absolutely no space or freedom for Fielding to maneuver or take a breath. He relentlessly imposed his own style of play upon Fielding, executing it all with intense swiftness.
Rocky initiated a series of jabs, aiming to extend his left lead and create distance between himself and Alvarez. However, Canelo swiftly closed in on him.
In every encounter leading up to the referee’s final instructions, the Englishman had always appeared much taller than Alvarez. Fielding’s imposing stature was undeniable. However, it proved to be inconsequential as Canelo effortlessly bridged the distance between them, commanding the ring and depleting all the air. He swiftly seized the opportunity, delivering a powerful left hook to Fielding’s side, causing the Liverpudlian to succumb to the ground in the opening round.
The start was nothing short of a catastrophe. Fielding had to commence with a strong sense of assurance, asserting his dominance over Alvarez, using his size to intimidate and plant a seed of doubt in the Mexican’s mind, making it clear that he was not welcome in the super-middleweight division. However, it was Canelo who took control right from the start, dictating the rules and setting the tone.
Despite being on a knee initially, Fielding had the opportunity to fall apart. However, instead of immediately getting up, he took a moment to catch his breath and observed referee Ricky Gonzalez’s count before standing up to finish the rest of the first round. As he found his place on the stool during the first break of the match, his trainer Jamie Moore instructed him to take deep breaths.
Fielding’s composure was invaluable; he couldn’t risk losing it. He required sufficient time to adjust to the intense atmosphere of top-tier competition. However, Alvarez had no intention of granting him that luxury. He managed to breach Fielding’s defenses once again in the second round.
Canelo unleashed a powerful right hook into Rocky’s body, causing Fielding to fight defensively. The Briton, in an attempt to retaliate, threw quick punches that lacked the precision and technique displayed by Canelo. Another brutal left hook from Canelo struck against Rocky’s ribs, while the Briton responded by delivering a curved left hook to Alvarez’s head. However, it was Canelo’s close-range right uppercut that displayed its near-perfect execution, forcefully jerking Rocky’s head back.
Fielding had to push him away, force him to retreat from the inside, where Canelo’s effectiveness was incredibly brutal. However, Alvarez felt at ease in close proximity, as he focused relentlessly on his objective. Once again, his left hook to the body caused the Briton to drop down on one knee.
Rocky displayed courage as he defiantly rose to his feet and continued to fight into the third round. Initiating the session with a powerful combination, he successfully landed a right uppercut-left hook combo on Saul, causing him to tap his jab against Rocky’s guard. In response, Canelo retaliated with a forceful right hook to Rocky’s body. Despite the intense pressure, Fielding unleashed a series of punches, throwing a straight one-two. He extended his jab, extending his left arm forward, and then stepped in, attempting to grab Canelo in a clinch.
Fielding landed a right hook, followed by a left hook, as he relentlessly threw punches at his tormentor. However, Canelo quickly extinguished Fielding’s attack. Rocky retreated towards the ropes, and Alvarez’s powerful right hook descended from above. It struck Fielding’s head, causing him to lose his balance and fall back to the canvas due to the force of the punch.
Fielding was utterly bewildered. His mouth hung agape, as if on the verge of unleashing a cry of frustration. He desperately sought answers, yet none were forthcoming.
Boxing holds a truth that the superior larger fighter will prevail over the superior smaller fighter. Despite his size advantage, Fielding fell short in skill, particularly against this particular opponent. Another valuable lesson frequently reiterated but truly comprehended through experience is that boxing encompasses various tiers. Despite facing disadvantages in height and reach, Canelo’s exceptional abilities proved to be too much for Fielding.
Reality hit hard when it became clear that Christmas miracles and victorious moments like those in Rocky are confined to the realm of fiction. Alvarez concluded the lesson by delivering the same punch he began with: a quick left uppercut followed by a powerful hook to Fielding’s body using the same hand. The impact was so intense that Fielding found himself on the canvas once again, marking the fourth time he had been knocked down in just three rounds. At this point, Referee Gonzalez decided to intervene and officially ended the fight at 2 minutes and 38 seconds.
Eric Marlinski, John McKaie, and Kevin Morgan were judges who were not needed.
With a tinge of sadness, Rocky confessed, “I was fully aware of my situation, knowledgeable about every detail. Despite my attempt to resist, I ended up being captured. I had the audacity to strive for greatness, to pursue my dreams. But fear not, for I shall return. I will make a comeback.”
“He possesses an exceptional level of power, along with impeccable timing and impressive speed. His ability to connect his shots is truly unmatched. In my opinion, he has the potential to compete against any super-middleweight fighter,” expressed Fielding. “Regrettably, I made the mistake of lingering in his range for too long. I naively believed I could engage with him on equal terms, despite the glaring height difference between us. I should have maintained a safe distance and utilized my reach advantage. Instead, I found myself standing toe-to-toe with an elite and formidable opponent. Nevertheless, I exerted maximum effort and left nothing on the table.”
Canelo displayed a ruthless nature, a trait commonly found in exceptional fighters. With a touch of icy ferocity, the Mexican fighter commented, “His mistake was engaging in an exchange with me. Our strategy was to relentlessly target his body, and thankfully, everything went according to plan.”
Alvarez, despite his controversial battles with Gennady Golovkin, has emerged victorious and established himself as the dominant figure in this sport. His journey this year commenced with a temporary suspension due to the detection of clenbuterol, a substance found in tainted beef, in his system. However, he concluded the year by selling out Madison Square Garden in his first fight in New York, marking the beginning of a lucrative broadcasting deal with DAZN. This deal has catapulted him into the position of the highest-paid active boxer globally. Additionally, by capturing Rocky’s WBA secondary super-middleweight title, Alvarez now proudly considers himself a three-weight world champion.
“With a smile, Canelo expressed his joy in being part of history-making.”
