Rocky Fielding is Boxing’s Newest ‘Rocky’

On a weekend when Manny Pacquiao delivered his best performance in years and 140-pound hotshot Regis Prograis took another leap forward, Rocky Fielding’s triumph in Germany got lost in the shuffle. In a big upset, Fielding snatched the WBA 168-pound title from Tyron Zeuge with a fifth round stoppage.

This was quite a turnabout for Fielding considering where he was on Nov. 7, 2015.

Where he was was on Queer Street, to use an old boxing expression, looking on with a stupefied expression as the referee waived off his bout with Callum Smith. Fielding didn’t just lose that bout; he was blown out of the water. He was on the canvas three times before the match was halted with 15 seconds remaining in the opening round.

Fielding vs. Smith, a battle of unbeatens for a Lonsdale belt, gripped the sporting population of Liverpool, the hometown of both combatants, but created little buzz outside the U.K. And when it was over, Callum Smith was headed on to bigger things and Fielding was left to pick up the pieces. If one isn’t even the best fighter in one’s weight class in one’s own hometown, then it doesn’t figure that one will go on to make waves in a bigger pond.

How bizarre that Rocky Fielding would join the ranks of world title-holders before his former amateur teammate Callum Smith. (Smith gets his chance in September when he locks horns with George Groves in the finals of the WBSS 168-pound tournament, likely in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.)

Fielding rebounded nicely from his embarrassing loss to his intra-city rival. He won five straight preceding his match with Zeuge, upping his record to 26-1.The best win of the five was a 12-round split decision over countryman John Ryder, a tough southpaw.

Tyron Zeuge, trained by Juergen Braehmer, was undefeated (21-0-1). He was making his fourth title defense. Fielding didn’t lack for supporters. He brought some fans with him — “a group of wondrous misfits,” said prominent UK sports pundit Steve Bunce — but Zeuge, a native Berliner, had the home field advantage. The pricemakers chalked him a 4/1 favorite.

Zeuge, said Fielding’s trainer Jamie Moore, “is very solid in every department, but outstanding in none.” Fielding exuded confidence: “My power has improved. I’m really sinking the shots in now. I always had naturally heavy hands but now I’m punching with better technique.”

Zeuge wouldn’t disagree. In the fourth frame, the Liverpudlian hurt him with a barrage of punches. In the next round, Fielding dropped Zeuge with a left uppercut followed by a left hook to the liver. With Zeuge in obvious distress, his corner tossed in the towel.

Fielding’s career-best win was a nice feather in the cap of Jamie Moore who previously guided Carl Frampton to what was arguably Frampton’s best win, a clear-cut 12-round decision over Nonito Donaire.

What’s next for boxing’s newest Rocky? His match with Zeuge had a rematch clause, but Zeuge isn’t expected to activate it. However, Zeuge’s promoter, Sauerland, is loaded with super middleweights. There’s Vincent Feigenbutz (28-2, 25 KOs), already a veteran at the age of 22. There’s grizzled veteran Arthur Abraham (47-6) who has seemingly been around forever.

On the UK scene, there’s Chris Eubank Jr. and James DeGale, but DeGale, who recently vacated his IBF belt, has made it known that he will pursue bigger game. Martin Murray would be a good opponent, but that won’t happen. Murray and Rocky Fielding are stablemates.

Bob Arum was once interested in procuring Fielding’s services as an opponent for WBO champ Gilberto Ramirez. Arum had preliminary discussions about it with Eddie Hearn. But it will now cost Arum a lot more money to get Fielding, making that match less likely.

Whoever it is, Fielding hopes his first defense is in Liverpool where he experienced the lowest moment of his boxing career and is now — and quite improbably — more popular than ever.

By the way, Fielding, whose first name is Michael, was called Rocky before he ever laced on a pair of boxing gloves. A family man (he and his wife are expecting their second child in eight weeks), Fielding, says the aforementioned Bunce, “has been one of the good guys for a long time, a skilled operator in a business of shifting realms where too many plastic talents hide behind convenient screens of hype.”

It’s a true life feel-good story in boxing, a story that unfolded in Germany but with a Liverpool backdrop.

Check out more boxing news on video at The Boxing Channel

To comment on this article at The Fight Forum, CLICK HERE.