By Barry Holbrook: Former WBA ‘common’ tremendous middleweight champion Rocky Fielding introduced his retirement as we speak at 35, ending his 13-year skilled profession.
In his prime, Fielding (30-3, 18 KOs) was a high quality fighter and the most effective at 168, however his inactivity lately harm his means to remain related.
Fielding misplaced to Dan Azeez by an eighth spherical knockout final month on December seventeenth in a failed effort to seize the British gentle heavyweight title.
No matter probability Fielding had of profitable, he threw it out the window by spending many of the combat along with his again towards the ropes.
It’s not a giant shock that Fielding has determined to hold up his gloves, as he’d fought largely no considered one of notice since shedding his WBA ‘common’ 168-lb title to Canelo Alvarez by a 3rd spherical knockout in December 2018.
Some would argue that Fielding, for all intents and functions, retired after his defeat towards Canelo as a result of he didn’t present the identical motivation after that defeat.
The loss to Canelo appeared to take a whole lot of the wind out of the sails of Fielding, as a result of he did nothing from that time on, selecting to face little-known opposition as a substitute of the contenders he’d been preventing earlier than his defeat. It’s unclear if Fielding made life-changing cash in his combat with Canelo.
If that’s the case, that will clarify the uninspired strategy that Fielding took to his profession after the Canelo combat. Assuming that Fielding is ready for all times from the Canelo cash, it is sensible for him to retire now as a result of the paydays he’s getting for his subsequent fights pale compared.
After that combat, Fielding performed it protected, beating the next obscure fighters: Abdallah Paziwapaz, Emmanuel Danso, and Timo Laine. When Fielding lastly did step it up once more in a combat with Azeez (18-0, 12 KOs), he was overmatched and simply overwhelmed by the 175-lb contender.
What a journey. Thanks to Boxing for all of the recollections. Thanks to everybody for the help and everybody that’s been aside of it. 🙏🏼❤️ pic.twitter.com/wDD6fAS0Hi
— Rocky Fielding (@Rocky87Fielding) January 12, 2023
If Fielding doesn’t make a comeback, as we see with many fighters, he’ll be remembered for these fights:
Canelo Alvarez – TKO 3 loss
John Ryder – SD 12 win
Callum Smith – TKO 1 loss
Tyron Zeuge – TKO 5 win
Luke Blackledge – KO 1 win
Christopher Rebrassé – SD 12 win
Charles Adamu – UD 12 win
Brian Vera – TKO 2
It’s too unhealthy Fielding didn’t work his approach again into place for a rematch with Canelo, as Ryder, a fighter he beat, is now poised to get an enormous payday towards the Mexican star in Might.
