Warrior Fields is set for another ring war

Poster for the mouth-watering match-up between Fields and Robinson

BEN Fields, his grey top darkened by sweat, hurled another sustained volley of punches at the heavy bag, the rhythm of violence echoing around the empty gym.

The timer rang and Fields – a short slab of straining muscle – finally relented. With streams of perspiration spilling from forehead to chin, the 33-year-old prowled the room impatiently.

“I’m working on my feet,” Digbeth’s ruthless, relentless light-welter confided. “I think the footwork has let me down in some fights.”

The timer pinged and Fields again threw himself at the bag. A step to the left and lefts hooks – top and bottom – thudded against leather. A step to the right and his other fist pummelled the apparatus as if the former Midlands champ was attempting to destroy it with an axe.

This is the graft – at times agonising graft – that makes a champ.

This is the graft needed for a big fight. Fields, perpetual motion in the ring, is grinding out the days before his next big fight.

On April 22, he faces former English title challenger Jamie Robinson at York Hall, Bethnal Green. It is a trade fight between two respected pros. Robinson’s bid to take the English belt was scuppered by Billy Allington via split decision. Billy would go on to fight for the British title.

Fields drew with Allington last November. He became one of a string of unbeaten prospects who chanced their arm against Fields – a man as tough as Dunlop tyres – and were either beaten or dragged into deep waters. For Ben, it has been a 27 fight career mostly spent on the road.

There is no padding in his record. Ben is where he is through a near pathological desire to prevail.

A troubled background has produced an athlete who bristles with fighting fury.

Ping. The timer again sounded and Fields – an individual who, through sheer desire and ruggedness, dragged himself from expected journeyman status to the heady realms of fringe contender – again paced the gym.

“I think it’s a good fight for me,” he said, staring at the puddles of sweat forming on the floor.”

Fields burns for big fights and big paydays. Others, he points out, have achieved less, but received TV exposure on major bills.

“There’s not a lot of justice in boxing,” he shrugged while staring at his drenched physique in a mirror. I’d love to fight (big punching prospect) Adam Azim, but they say they want someone with a winning record.

“But what if an opponent pulls out? He’s looked good, let’s see how he copes with someone who makes it ugly and hits him all over.”

Ping. As if driven by thoughts of what might be, Fields strikes the bag with renewed vigour, grunting as the hooks dent the swinging structure.

For Robinson, Fields warmed-up with a four round, 40-36, decision over Logan Paling, a winless stalemate at trainer Shaun Cogan’s Birmingham gym.

The H Suite, Edgbaston, outing was – let’s be honest – not the greatest match-up. Fields needed to keep ring rust at bay.

“It wasn’t ideal,” he conceded, “but I needed a win.” Before Paling, Ben had lost four on points and drawn two. He shared the spoils with Midlands champ Jamie Stewart in the other man’s backyard of Kings Hall, Stoke. That was a typical slice of toe-to-toe ring warfare.

Robinson is a much more appealing prospect for fans and the fighter himself.

Birmingham’s road warrior is set to go to war again. And win, lose or draw, Robinson is in for a very torrid time.