Rocky Fielding: If I beat Canelo, I’m the new face of boxing

With Rocky Fielding set to face Canelo Alvarez in the first fight of Alvarez’s massive deal with DAZN on December 15, the super middleweight titleholder believes his physical advantages will help, but isn’t overlooking how good Canelo is, either.

“I have got a big size advantage on him, height and reach, but I can’t look at that too much — he is an elite fighter, pound for pound, the face of boxing, experienced. … I have to put myself through some torturous sessions mentally and physically, but the motivation at the end of it is there. If I beat Canelo Alvarez at Madison Square Garden, I wake up the next day the king of New York and the new face of boxing.”

Fielding (27-1, 15 KO) will be the underdog against Canelo (50-1-2, 34 KO), but he’s right that he has the chance of a lifetime, a chance to become a major star overnight in the sport if he can pull it off.

Of course saying it and doing it are two different things, even if he puts in the training camp of a lifetime. But Alvarez is giving up notable size here, and it’s worth considering, if only because it makes things more fun to not write Fielding off.