Current track

Title

Artist

Current show

Dave Thomas

7:00 pm 9:59 pm

Current show

Dave Thomas

7:00 pm 9:59 pm

Background

Fielding vs Canelo: Rocky Fielding plans to gain Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez’s respect, says trainer Jamie Moore

Written by on 12/12/2018

Rocky Fielding must gain Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez’s respect by utilising his size advantage, his trainer Jamie Moore has urged.

Book Whyte vs Chisora 2 online here
Watch Whyte vs Chisora 2 online here

Mexican superstar Canelo will step up a division to challenge for Fielding’s WBA ‘regular’ super-middleweight title on Saturday, live on Sky Sports Main Event from 11pm.

“Canelo has underestimated him and doesn’t realise how good, or how big, Rocky is,” Moore told Sky Sports’ Toe 2 Toe podcast.

“The problems that Canelo will have to overcome are height and reach. He will have to make up for the difference in length [which creates] danger that he will walk onto shots.

“We have got questions that we want Canelo to answer. We won’t show him too much respect because he’ll sense that, and feed off it.

“Rocky has to gain Canelo’s respect.”

Fielding won a world title in his 28th fight by stopping Tyron Zeuge in Germany earlier this year.

Canelo enters Saturday’s fight at Madison Square Garden, New York, as holder of WBA and WBC gold at middleweight after back-to-back battles with fellow pound-for-pound star Gennady Golovkin. The first was ruled a draw and Canelo won the rematch by majority decision.

He has notably knocked out Amir Khan and Liam Smith, outpointed Miguel Cotto and his only defeat was to Floyd Mayweather in 2013.

But Moore believes Canelo deserved to lose both fights against Golovkin, and has taken hope from watching those combined 24 rounds.

“Rocky is naturally bigger and rangier. Golovkin had success in closing the distance and we can map out our game-plan based on that,” Moore said.

“Elite-level fighters leave little room for error. The big thing that I’ve said to Rocky: ‘when you get small opportunities, you have to take them, you cannot misfire, you have to pull the trigger’.

“Canelo has nice head movement, rhythm and good anticipation. Nailing him cleanly upstairs is a hard task but not impossible.”

Fielding’s title defence in the United States is the start of a whirlwind week for Moore – he plans to fly home as quickly as possible and be in the gym next Monday morning to continue preparing Carl Frampton to challenge for Josh Warrington’s world featherweight belt.

“I’ve had Carl with me for 14 months but [his final session of the camp] was the best he’s ever had,” Moore said.

“Josh is a worthy world champion but, when Carl is in this form, it will take one hell of a fighter to beat him.

“Lee Selby didn’t have the pop in his punches to contain Warrington. He will be surprised by how hard Frampton hits, and how good he is, his footwork, and his unorthodox defence.

“There will be a lot of things that will unfold that will surprise Warrington.

“He’s got to put [Warrington] in his place. Josh thinks he can walk through shots and put the pressure on, but I don’t think that will be the case.

“But Carl can box off the back foot and get behind his jab. He has every attribute needed. On a whole, I think Carl is on a different level.”

Hear more from Jamie Moore on the Toe 2 Toe podcast.

Watch Saul Alvarez vs Rocky Fielding, with an undercard including Katie Taylor vs Eva Wahlstrom, from Madison Square Garden, New York, on Saturday night, Sky Sports Main Event from 11pm.

(c) Sky News 2018: Fielding vs Canelo: Rocky Fielding plans to gain Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez’s respect, says trainer Jamie Moore