Rocky Fielding talks Smith, Harrison and lifting the Commonwealth title as an 11-year-old

ROCKY FIELDING has a dilemma on his hands. It is a few weeks before his September 21 assignment at the Liverpool Olympia, but the rising super-middleweight may struggle to meet the demands of his growing fanbase.

“I’ve only been given 350 tickets,” he sighs.

Indeed, Fielding has already developed a profile as an archetypal crowd-pleaser, and when he loads up on left-right combinations, plants his feet and asserts his authority, his Olympia faithful create a din more reminiscent of a stadium fight rather than a small hall tussle. What will the English champion do to appease his supporters?

“I’ve been asking around for a few more tickets,” Fielding tells Boxing News. “But my fans will always find a way - they even come through the fire exits sometimes! I’ll occasionally see them at ringside or the free bar and I’ll say: “You lot only got the £40 tickets, how did you get in here?” They’ll reply: “Ah, don’t worry about it, we find a way.”

Granted, Fielding knows all about getting into events on the snip. In the late 1990s, he befriended the revered trainer John Smith, and attended fights for free in exchange for holding spit-bucket duties in the corner. “Smithy still takes me to events today!” the Scouser laughs.

But one moment stands out from Fielding’s time shadowing the pros. As a wide-eyed 11-year-old, he was photographed with Alex Moon’s Commonwealth super-featherweight title after rushing into the ring during a post-fight scramble. Fielding now has his own chance for Commonwealth gold when he tackles the crafty Ghanaian Mohammed Akrong.

“I visited my mum’s recently to pick up the photo of Moon’s belt,” says the 26-year-old. “I placed it on the mantelpiece and every time I look at it, it reminds me of my years following Smith around the pros. I always thought to myself, I’d love to fight for one of those belts one day. It’s amazing to think that now I’ve finally got that chance.”

Along with his waves of local support, another man hoping for a Commonwealth scalp is Fielding’s trainer Oliver Harrison. The 52-year-old already counts Jamie Moore, Amir Khan, Tony Dodson and Martin Murray as past and present alumni, and began coaching Fielding in 2010, shortly after he decided to turn pro. Although the pair initially struggled with communication – “I listened to the crowd more than instructions” – they have nevertheless blossomed into a unique partnership.

With Harrison’s methodical approach and Fielding’s gun-slinging enthusiasm, the Liverpool prospect has already won the Prizefighter tournament, as well as a host of English title clashes against Carl Dilks and Wayne Reed. In that case it is no surprise Fielding has generated such a following. Why, though, did he choose the arduous, daily commute to Salford in order to work with Harrison?

“I just wanted to train away from Liverpool. When you stay in Liverpool, because everyone knows everyone, if you have a bad spar or if you get cut, it spreads all over town in no time. There were a lot of good coaches around, but they all had big stables, so I wanted to find a coach who would look after me properly.”

As an amateur Fielding enjoyed stints at the Salisbury ABC, the Stockbridge ABC and the Rotunda base in Kirkdale, and continues: “When I turned pro I travelled around to a few gyms to see how I’d feel, but once I stepped into Oliver’s ABC I just remember seeing how busy it was. I looked around the gym and saw photos of all these great fighters with their titles – Khan, Moore, Murray...

“I remember during my first spar I did about a round and 30 seconds until Oliver called me over to stop. I had no idea what was going on. I didn’t know how I’d be received. I just remember glancing over at Derry [Mathews], who simply shrugged his shoulders at me. Thankfully, once Oliver sat me down he told me he was really impressed. He’s a coach I trust and I’m really happy with him.”

Fielding, who also fought for England in the unpaid ranks, paints Harrison as a relentless workaholic. Come sunrise, the trainer is already in the gym, setting up equipment, tidying up, and jotting down training plans for his stable. After all, Harrison has always been known as a master tactician and, in April, he and Murray almost upset WBC middleweight king Sergio Martinez.

“The tactics were spot on,” Fielding attests. “Oliver’s idea was to rough Sergio up, get him reeling and force him to retire on the stool. I thought Murray just nicked it. I’ve always monitored Oliver’s fighters, and I hope what he’s done for Murray can rub off on me. He really studies boxing and to be honest the gym’s never shut - I don’t think he even goes on holiday. Sometimes he does send his missus and kids away though!”

The starlet vows to stay with his current cornerman for the rest of his career, proclaiming: “After my family, Oliver is the person I trust the most and someone who wants the best for me. We’re so close, we’re together every day in the gym, and aside from that we’re always talking on the phone and texting. He hasn’t rushed me into anything and always does what’s right.”

Promoter Eddie Hearn has also played his part. “He always said we could fight for the Commonwealth title,” reveals Fielding. Hearn pulled off another trick when he placed his fighter at ringside in June, as Liverpool’s Paul Smith tore into Dodson in six bloody rounds to take the British title. 

Unsurprisingly, talk is rife of a derby showdown between Smith and Fielding. “I’d like the fight but I say let Paul defend his belt a few times or maybe go for the European title. He’s had 30-odd fights and been around the block a bit, so he deserves it.”

But Fielding turns up the heat when asked about the Sky Sports pundits, Johnny Nelson and Glenn McCrory, who argued that the Smith fight is a bridge too far at this moment in time. “On Sky Sports they only see me in fights where the other guy isn’t fighting back. If they’d seen me at all before Prizefighter, they’d say: “Yeah, you’re sound, you’re ready.” Even on the night I won the tournament, all three of my opponents came to knock me out and they all came to win - that’s when I perform to my best. Maybe after this fight, then we’ll see whether they think I’m ready for Smith or not.”

First of all, Fielding will need to deal with Akrong, a defensively gifted fighter with a highly slung guard and a mean right cross. The African, 19-5 (15), made his debut in 2003 - seven years before his next opponent - but has campaigned for the most part against journeymen with losing records. Harrison will need to be on top form regardless.

“He’ll [Harrison] tell me what to do and we’ll establish how to win the fight,” Fielding stresses. “I’m sure Oliver will give me the correct tactics because he studies the game so closely. We plan on working to the body, getting his hands down and then taking him out. I think Akrong’s there for the taking. I want to make my dreams a reality and win this Commonwealth title. The next year or so is going to be exciting.”

Still, it is always exciting when Fielding is around. The softly spoken Liverpool man is already crafting a reputation for his knack of loading up on combinations, as well as his ability to finish off a wounded opponent. If Akrong suffers a similar fate, you can guarantee Hearn, Harrison and the Liverpool public will tear the roof off of the old Olympia, whether the fans snuck in through the fire exits or not. 

By Alistair Hendrie

From Boxing News (September 2013) http://www.boxingnewsonline.net/latest/feature/rocky-fielding-can-achieve-lifelong-ambition-by-beating-mohammed-akrong

Scott crumbles on the big stage against Chisora

Philadelphia heavyweight Malik Scott lost both his mind and his undefeated record this weekend at Wembley Arena against Dereck Chisora. Down on one knee in the sixth round after a cuffing right hand, Scott appeared unhurt but for whatever reason rose soon after the count of nine and was counted out in controversial circumstances. Whether or not Scott was unjustly stopped, he looked merely embarrassed as opposed to disappointed, and hardly mirrored the fury which his corner fired at referee Phil Edwards.

Was Scott simply overwhelmed by the occasion? This was the first time in Scott’s 37-fight career that he had fought outside of America and although he was supposed to be an acid test for Chisora, he engaged in too much holding and ignored the advice of his trainer, Jesse Reid, who told him to stop the spoiling antics. 

Debate ensued on social media over the stoppage, but Scott should have known better and stood up earlier.

However, Chisora, who won the lightly regarded WBO International title, boxed calmly behind a high guard and threw the full force of his weight behind every punch. Indeed, you get the sense this is a turning point in his career. He turned in a studious performance and obeyed the commands of his father-figure trainer Don Charles, barking “yes sir” at his instructions.

The Finchley man set a high pace early on, walking forward with the visiting fighter circling away from potent roundhouse swings. Chisora nevertheless struggled to score with any great accuracy and the defensive Scott used mauling tactics to frustrate his rival. Be it tangling arms, wrestling or leading with the forearm, no amount of fouling seemed beyond the American and Edwards warned him repeatedly.

Scott’s team begged him to stop clinching and in the fourth session, Chisora finally began to break his stubborn opponent’s guard. With Scott on the ropes, looking to deflect and parry punishment, Chisora found a second wind and fired vicious left-rights to the body, finishing with a clean uppercut that forced his opposite number to side-step away in a hurry.

Still, in round number five, Malik continued to play possum on the ropes but began to roll with the punches and avoid attacks. His balletic footwork was paramount, as he wheeled away once again, and he also scored with two sudden uppercuts.  Come the sixth round Scott was beginning to relax. Toying with Chisora again, he dropped his hands and relied on speed and combinations.

But Chisora grew frustrated and bull-rushed the tattooed Scott against the ropes, decking him with an untidy overhand right and a cheap shot to the body. Scott dropped to one knee in the unsightly melee. It was difficult to gauge the extent of his pain in such a blur of unravelling drama. He smiled at his corner during the count, but only he knows why. He stood up at “nine,” although Edwards was already signalling the end of the contest. Scott looked bashful more than anything else.

Granted, the polarising climax takes some of the gloss away from Chisora’s win. As MC Mark Burdis announced the result, the profanities Scott’s corner directed at Edwards caught the attention more than the actual result.

After the fight, promoter Frank Warren announced that Chisora will fight again on September 21 at east London’s Copper Box Arena. A revenge-tinged rematch with Robert Helenius could be an attractive option, while Tony Thompson could a potential foe if Warren is willing to cough up the cash and pull a few strings. This was by far the most accomplished performance of Chisora’s career and he and Charles seem to have found a groove together. Where Scott goes after such a humiliating meltdown is another story. 

By Alistair Hendrie

Woodhouse considers retirement after Singleton farce

After perhaps one of the most baffling decisions in the recent history of British boxing, Curtis Woodhouse looks unlikely to ever step through the ropes again. Making the first defence of his English light-welterweight title against Shayne Singleton, Woodhouse help a firm grip on proceedings from the fourth round onwards but somehow, someway, two judges gave Singleton the nod by one and two rounds respectively.

Indeed, upon the announcement of a split decision, Woodhouse and his promoter Dave Coldwell exchanged looks of horror. And given his recent Twitter posts, it seems the Driffield fighter is now adamant on hanging up the gloves.

The defending champion patrolled the ring with menace and left his rival bloodied and bruised thanks to a fearsome jab and straight right. Tellingly, Singleton’s face was a mess towards the end of the fight, with a cut below each eye and blood flowing from his butchered nose.

Still, Singleton counter-punched well and grew accustomed to boxing and moving towards the end of the fight. He struck gold with a few crosses and rangy jabs in the opening three rounds but despite Woodhouse losing a point for punching after the break in round ten, it seems staggering that Singleton was adjudged to have won on two cards.

This was meant to be an easy fight for Woodhouse, a night where he would dispatch a mere gatekeeper before challenging the likes of Adil Anwar and Darren Hamilton. However, both men looked in competitive mood during their ring entrances.

Boxing in front of a home crowd at Manchester’s Bowlers Arena, Singleton scored with the greater frequency in the opening two rounds as Woodhouse opted to feint on the inside and anticipate his opponent’s attacks. Indeed, by the third round, Woodhouse was only just warming up and had perhaps thrown more feints than significant punches.

Soon, however, he found his stride and was walking his man down with merciless intent. The former Premier League footballer dug into his reserves and moved up a gear in the fourth, jabbing with malice and sticking to Singleton’s chest.

It seemed the longer the fight went on, the more Woodhouse’s pristine conditioning was becoming a significant asset. As he weaved forward at a terrific pace, keeping his hands up and firing that hurtful jab, the challenger became bloody and weary. Time after time, Curtis snapped his adversary’s head back with alarming regularity.

By the eighth round, the titlist’s straight right was finely tuned and finding its mark each time, particularly when thrown as part of a combination. Woodhouse’s clusters of punches and speed were frightening and towards the end of the fight, it seemed Karl Ince in Singleton’s corner thought once or twice about throwing the towel in to rescue his outfought charge.  

However, in a fight where both men frequently went eyeball to eyeball at the end of each round, Woodhouse connected with a vicious sucker punch in the tenth and final round soon after referee Howard Foster had called for a break. Woodhouse appeared to fire an insult at Singleton but came up short when Foster deducted a point from him.

How crucial that would prove to be. Singleton took it upon himself to somehow motor over the finishing line and threw five jabs at a time, perhaps spurred on by a second wind. His work ethic and Woodhouse’s point deduction won him the final stanza but despite his celebrations at the bell, surely the judges would score the fight to Woodhouse.

Regardless, Singleton got the green light from two of the three judges, prompting a mass bundle in the middle of the ring as Ince leapt to his fighter’s acclaim. Even though Woodhouse had a point torn away from him in the commencing moments, it is difficult to see where he would have lost the majority of the rounds. Granted, from the middle to latter rounds he pierced his rival’s leaky defence and rocked him with jabs to the body and head numerous times.

It was a dreadful verdict and leaves one of Britain’s most industrious fighters on the scrapheap. Coming off a successful career in professional football, few thought Woodhouse could switch professions with such ease, but after winning the English title and going toe-to-toe with the likes of Frankie Gavin and Dale Miles, he drew revenge against those who said he would never make it. In Singleton’s case, though, he should be in no position to call himself a champion. 

By Alistair Hendrie

Curtis Woodhouse - "I get my fair share of doubters"

This June, Curtis Woodhouse and Dale Miles stood toe to toe at Rotherham’s Magna Centre and traded knockout blows for five rounds in one of the most staggering wars of attrition in recent memory. Every time Miles threw, Woodhouse dug in and replied with aplomb. As always, something had to give. Woodhouse used his ring craft to back Miles up, although when he dropped his hands in search of a finish, he walked on to a jarring short right that sent him flailing to the canvas.

Remembering that galling fifth round knockout, Woodhouse says, “I was devastated.” The Yorkshire fighter has since regrouped and picked up the English light-welterweight title, defeating Dave Ryan on points. That Miles loss was still a tough pill to swallow, though. His pride dented, Woodhouse suffered a break from hard sparring due to a slowly but steadily healing face. He only got back to training two weeks after the fight and, even then, he could only engage in shadow boxing.

There were no titles on the line during his renowned battle with Miles but Woodhouse won respect from the fight, a tag that is almost as valuable as a belt in a business such as boxing. Woodhouse’s promoter Dave Coldwell says, “If you take a fighter like Arturo Gatti who still lost three fights in a row at one stage, boxing people and fans alike respected him for the fights he was in. I’m not comparing him in terms of ability at all, but I think something similar is happening with Curtis.”

Woodhouse, who entered boxing as a latecomer at 26 after a fleeting career as a professional footballer, admits he had to overcome several obstacles by embarking on such a gamble. “I was 26 and had never laced up a pair of gloves,” he remembers. “Obviously I get a lot of doubters given how I came into the sport but I feel I’ve earned the respect of my peers, especially after winning the English title.”

Indeed, Woodhouse learned tough lessons from the Miles fight that he harked back to during the English title bout. “There was one point,” says Woodhouse, “when I got hit on the back of the head against Ryan and the room was spinning. Against Miles, I’d have fired back, but I just had to hold on for a moment to compose myself. It was a great moment for me and a great achievement to become champion of England.”  

His clash with Miles, it seems, defines Woodhouse’s career and acts as a turning point towards his euphoric English title win. Along with Coldwell, Woodhouse admits the fight taught him a lot about the values of defence. The adulation that comes after a gut check and a war such as that, however, is something that Woodhouse takes with open arms.

“People were saying it was the greatest fight they’d ever seen,” he laughs. “It’s nice to hear something like that and I think the fact that I went through hell and back for 12 weeks in my camp, training as hard as I possibly could, makes the loss slightly easier to live with.”

“Even during the exchanges I was thinking, wow, this is some fight! The crowd were going so crazy I couldn’t even heard my corner between rounds! He hurt me in the first round; I hurt him in the second round. Whenever he caught me with a good shot, I just planted my feet, bit on my gumshield, and just thought, fuck you; let’s have a fight!”

Those scattergun attacks may be pleasing for the crowd, but that surge of adrenalin Woodhouse felt still had lasting effects. Woodhouse revealed he fought on with a fractured cheekbone and a broken nose. Coming into the sport as a wide-eyed novice, soaking up any information and advice when he could, you might think Woodhouse would shy away from the more punishing sides of boxing.

Credit must go to Woodhouse, though, as he has taken the pitfalls and dangers of boxing in his stride. “If you don’t want to get hurt don’t become a boxer” is his steely yet commendable statement. The former Sheffield United defender continues to claim that boxing isn’t always a nice sport. “It’s not tennis, you’re in there to have a fight,” he professes.

That machismo and tough talking stance from Woodhouse may put some observers off, perhaps understandably so. Before his fight with Frankie Gavin, the two had to be forcibly separated at the weigh-in. “During the build-up to fights, tensions sometimes boil over,” claims Woodhouse. “It’s a tough sport for tough men, so you might expect emotions to run high.”

Thankfully, Woodhouse has managed to channel that competitive nature into hard work outside and inside the ring, and his ambitious switch to boxing seems to have paid off. Coldwell oozes with enthusiasm when discussing Woodhouse’s future. “We want Darren Hamilton, who is the British champion, then the Miles rematch. That’s the plan,” he confirms. Considering Hamilton’s upset over Ashley Theophane for the British title in May, there are many who have sounded off about Hamilton’s waning credentials as British champion.

“He doesn’t do anything great, but he does everything correctly,” says Woodhouse. “He’s got really long arms, jabs well, and proves that if you get the basics right, you can go far in boxing. There are certain things he makes look very easy in the ring, and he’s clearly worked very hard. I say good luck to him, but I want to rip that belt from him.”

“I’ve got options to defend my English title, so if I can’t get a British title shot, I’ll go down that route. My aim is to stay busy. If anyone wants to fight me, I’m always willing to listen. I could have quite easily got to 13-0 fighting a load of journeymen, but I want to fight the very best in Britain. A poor record is not something that interests me.” 

By Alistair Hendrie

Chisora confirms "nearly man" status against Haye

Having earned his stripes inside the ring after a valiant tussle with Vitali Klitschko, Dereck Chisora redeemed himself once more at Upton Park this weekend, standing arm in arm with David Haye, his former rival, after suffering a vicious fifth round knockout. Respect is paramount to any fighter in this, the most demanding of sports, and Chisora gained that after he and Haye put their differences to bed. It’s a familiar, depressing tale in some ways for Chisora, who has now lost four of his last five fights, despite performing in such a courageous manner once again.

That steely determination and calm head inside the ring against Klitschko, of course, was sullied after the Munich fracas, a sentiment not lost on the East London crowd who booed Chisora on his way to the ring. Chisora took a while to get going as Haye, a picture of undeterred concentration, controlled the ring and worked his jab.

It seemed Chisora was looking for one big shot, and his eagerness to march Haye into the ropes paid off in the third when he connected with an overhand right, one of his most utilized trademarks. The fourth round, though, brought about Chisora’s most spiteful, hurtful attacks. Indeed, he was on a roll at the bell and, lamentably, caught Haye flush on the jaw with a lunging right after the bell sounded.

That was Haye’s wake up call. The Bermondsey fighter was making Chisora miss and dropped him with two swinging hooks as Chisora, showing his tactical naivety, blundered towards the ropes hoping for an advantage. After an eight count, Haye surged in with a blur of thudding hooks to the body and jaw. Chisora flailed at will then collapsed to the canvas, forming the most damning of sights for any boxer. Haye became the first man to knock out Chisora, the first man to break both his iron chin and immovable will.

During the post-fight press conference, there were no tripods, threats or scuffles, just Haye talking about how much respect he’d gained for Chisora. The wonderful thing about boxing, particularly a fight such as this, is that many times both the victor and the loser exit the ring drawing acclaim from pundits and fans alike for their efforts. For any sportsman to train hard, prepare for one opponent, and alienate themselves from friends, family and society for months before a fight is such a commendable task.

Of course, Chisora merely managed to prolong his reputation as a nearly man here. Since his surrender against Tyson Fury in 2011, Chisora has turned his career around and set his sights on bigger challenges, as well as a more focussed, disciplined approach to his work. His efforts against Klitschko and Haye were genuine and admirable, but it’s sad to see a fighter of Chisora’s standing slide down the ladder due to a seemingly chronic inability to win fights.

During the Klitschko fight, Chisora found inroads to both attack and ask Vitali questions – something barely anyone can do these days – but he lacked a certain cutting edge, verve or power. The Haye fight, it must be said, followed a similar pattern. Chisora advanced in hope of a heavy right hand but his inability to trade on the inside let him down. He hit Haye with good shots in the third and fourth – before and after the bell, that is – but his lack of power told. A record of nine knockouts in 19 professional contests, especially for a heavyweight like Chisora, does not lead to images of an explosive puncher.  

Chisora’s plight illustrates the unforgiving, fickle nature of boxing perfectly. Boxing rewards resolve, heart and mental fortitude, but not for the loser. Sports are rarely as black-and-white in their outcomes as boxing.

Throughout his career, Chisora has quietly beaten his way through the domestic heavyweight scene, challenged for a world title, and battled manfully against Haye, Britain’s greatest heavyweight since Lennox Lewis. However, he’ll still be remembered as man who came second best, repeatedly, on the biggest stage.

In the last year, granted, Chisora has improved at an arresting rate like few British heavyweights before him. Sadly, it hasn’t been good enough. Chisora is such a polarising character and his last few fights have stirred the soul enough to keep him as an attractive draw for promoters and fans alike – only what level will this be at?

A fight for David Price’s Commonwealth and British titles could be a well needed step up for Price, whereas a rematch with Robert Helenius or a test against Tor Hamer, the recent Prizefighter winner, could also happen. The Haye fight, of course, reaffirmed Chisora’s mettle and dedication to the cause but it’s the same outcome – all the potential in the world but no end product. 

By Alistair Hendrie