Robinson: Fields is in for East End war
Robinson….oozing confidence before Fields battle
AWAY from the cavernous arenas and razzmatazz of pay-per-view boxing, a potentially great fight – certainly a gruelling fight - beckons.
At the boxing hotbed of York Hall, Bethnal Green, Ben Fields, a light-welter seemingly hewn from granite and blessed with a phenomenal engine, faces quality contender Jamie Robinson over eight rounds.
It’s a battle, staged on Saturday, between two genuine hard men.
And the stakes are high. For the winner, the door to title fights will be opened.
Fields, from Digbeth, is a man who has done it the hard way. He entered the paid ranks without fanfare, took his show on the road almost immediately, yet – despite odds being stacked against him – peeled off upset win after upset win. Unbeaten prospects fell like skittles.
He has held a Midlands title, but is hungry for big fights and big paydays. Fields fears no one and would face Godzilla if the price was right.
I understand Ben has tweaked his style for this one, with the emphasis on footwork, but he’ll always be a remorseless pressure fighter. In years to come, fans are not going to talk about Ben’s immaculate jab.
In talented Robinson, born in Harlow, based in Derbyshire, he faces a real handful. The 31-year-old lost by split decision to Billy Allington in a bid to lift the vacant English title. Since that setback last year, he’s won three on points, binging his fight stats to 14-5-2. Only three victories have come inside distance.
Robinson knows exactly what Ben brings to the table – and believes he has all the answers. He oozes confidence and the approaching big fight has not blunted his sense of humour. He ended our facebook interview with a string of laughing emojis and a curt: “Cheers for your time, you sneaky ****er!”
Fields…tough fighter enters the lion’s den again
Of the five star contest, Jamie said: “No need to bad mouth because we all know what type of fight it’s going to be – war.
“The camp’s been perfect and it’s nice to have someone who isn’t going to get hit and run round the ring. You could get this fight on in a telephone booth. I’m looking to outbox and outfight him, mate. It’s going to be a good fight.
“You’ve got to respect Fields. He’s a tough fella who’s been round the block and boxed some good boys, so it’s going to be a good fight and one I’m looking forward to. He brings relentless pressure into the ring and so do I.”
His prediction? “A win for myself.”
Someone should warn London’s East End to prepare for a hurricane in the shape of Ben Fields and Jamie Robinson.