In July 2018, Rocky Fielding achieved the biggest victory of his career by defeating Tyron Zeuge in Germany. The Liverpudlian won the WBA “Regular” Super-Middleweight title with a fifth-round TKO.
Just two months later, in a highly anticipated rematch in Las Vegas, Canelo Alvarez triumphed over rival Gennadiy Golovkin to retain his two middleweight world titles. Despite the win, Canelo decided to briefly move up to super-middleweight before returning to 160lbs.
Fielding was chosen as Canelo’s opponent for this venture into super-middleweight. On December 15, 2018, at Madison Square Garden in New York, “Rocky from Stocky” was given the chance of a lifetime to face Canelo and earn a generous payday.
As Canelo prepares for his super-middleweight title defence against Jaime Munguia on Saturday (May 4), we revisit John Dennen’s report on Canelo’s first fight at 168lbs.
Original headline: King of New York – Canelo Alvarez demolishes Rocky Fielding
There is a harsh lesson to be learned when facing Saul “Canelo” Alvarez – only the elite can thrive against him. Despite his size and power, Rocky Fielding could not withstand Canelo’s speed and precision.
Canelo dominated the fight from the start, leaving Fielding no room to breathe. The Englishman tried to use his jab to keep Canelo at bay, but the Mexican was relentless.
Fielding showed bravery but was outmatched by Canelo’s superior skill and power. Ultimately, Canelo’s left hook to the body proved too much for Fielding, leading to a fourth-round TKO.
Fielding acknowledged Canelo’s greatness after the fight, admitting that he stood with an elite opponent for too long and should have utilized his height advantage.
Canelo, on the other hand, demonstrated his dominance in the ring and solidified his status as one of the best in the sport. His victory over Fielding marked another milestone in his career as he continues to make history in boxing.
Despite the defeat, Fielding vowed to learn from the experience and come back stronger. Canelo, on the other hand, remains focused on his journey to greatness, showing no signs of slowing down.