Ben bounces back with title eliminator

Ben Fields (left) in final round of Midlands title fight with Jamie Stewart

YOU can’t keep a tough warrior like Ben Fields down…

After being stopped for the first time in his career, the teak tough light-welter has the chance to bounce back and bludgeon his way to near the top of the domestic tree.

Ben, from Digbeth, will face George Hennon in a 10 round English title eliminator at York Hall, Bethnal Green, on June 17.

The Kent man has lost only one of nine – a third round stoppage to Sam Ball. But he’s lagging way behind Fields in terms of calibre and experience. Hennon has been six rounds only once and the majority of his performances have been over the apprentice four round distance.

What’s more, his progress has been decidedly stop-start. The 28-year-old made his debut way back in 2015 and, a year later, he took a six year break from the game.

In Fields, he faces one of the game’s true gladiators.

Ben turned pro under the wings of Shaun Cogan back in 2018 without fanfare or expectation. He seemed destined to travel the journeyman route, but climbed the rankings through sheer guts and a magnificent engine.

He has beaten prospect after prospect on the road, claimed a Midlands title and tested Britain’s very best.

There’s nothing fancy about what Fields does. He slings leather non-stop until the other guy can take no more. It’s like some gloved Chinese water torture.

Last month Ben’s iron chin failed him for the very first time in 28 contests (11 wins, four draws). Jamie Robinson halted him with a mighty right hand in the third.

The 33-year-old Birmingham boxer took defeat badly, but vowed in the immediate aftermath: “I didn’t get the win last night, but what do we do? We get straight back on the horse and go again. That’s not even in question.”

It certainly isn’t. Fields is straight back in the mix with an opportunity to put that one bad day at the office firmly behind him.