Fairytale of New York

Saul “Canelo” Alvarez’s choice of opponent for his next fight had many fight fans outside of England asking ‘Rocky who?’.

Michael “Rocky” Fielding is the man Alvarez will face in his first fight back since defeating Gennady Golovkin to win the WBC middleweight title in September.

Fielding will square up against the Mexican superstar at the world famous Madison Square Garden as defending champion after winning a super middleweight belt last time out. 

“It’s the Mecca of boxing. I was there three years ago,” Fielding said on iFL TV. “I was going to my girlfriend, imagine fighting here one day. Three years later I get a call and I’m topping the bill, do you know what I mean, it’s unbelievable!

“It’s what we dream of, it’s what we’re in the game for, big fights, big nights, big names and I don’t shy away from anyone. This fight made sense in every department.”

As first title defenses go, this will certainly not be an easy one for Fielding.

Alvarez is stepping up to 168 lbs in a bid to become a three-weight world title holder. He won the first of many world titles in 2011, dominating Matthew Hatton to claim the vacant WBC super welterweight title with his 35th straight win. A sole defeat in 53 fights was handed out on points by pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather five years ago.

Fielding made a name for himself in Britain – 18 days after Canelo’s world title win – winning the Sky Sports Prizefighter tournament. The three-fight novice was drafted in as a late call-up and became the first boxer to lift the trophy after winning all three fights by knockout. 

The 31-year-old went on to secure the British and Commonwealth super middleweight titles but his winning run of 21 victories was brought to a shuddering halt by Callum Smith in one round in 2015.

After bouncing back from his only defeat with five straight wins, Fielding upset champion Tyron Zeuge inside five rounds to win a title on the German’s home turf last time in July. Smith has since won a belt but dismissed a rematch with his fellow Liverpudlian.

Instead, Fielding,  nicknamed “The Rock” due to his birth weight and not the film, will attempt to do what fellow Britons Liam Smith, Amir Khan and Ryan Rhodes failed to do.

Promoter Eddie Hearn has billed the clash a “Cinderella story” and admitted he almost dropped the phone when he was offered the fight.

Now against one of the world’s best fighters around, 10 days ahead of Christmas, Fielding must believe fairy tales in New York really do come true.