Rocky Fielding wins split decision over Christopher Rebrasse
Sunday 3 April 2016 00:57, UK
Rocky Fielding returned to winning ways after edging a close split decision over tough Frenchman Christopher Rebrasse.
The Stockbridge super-middleweight was back at the Echo Arena, where he was stunned inside the first round by Callum Smith last time, and survived a similar scare to nick it.
Fielding was down in the second round but his experience, continuous combinations and strong finish saw him pick up the WBC International title by the smallest margin.
One judge gave it to Rebrasse 115-113 but, thankfully for the local support, the next two sided with Fielding, both by 114-113 scores.
"It was a fight I needed to dig deep and be right up for," he told Sky Sports. "He's a tough guy and we've seen that. I thought I was comfortable but he was tough. I'm over the moon to get the win.
"It was a nice right he caught me with and that split second where I switched off, I got caught. I'll have to learn from that. I shook it off, dug deep and came back.
"I've been working so hard in the gym and having such tough sparring with Martin Murray. That's what I had to put into the ring - a bit of grit. I haven't had to dig deep and that fight, I did. I thought I could've boxed better but he's a tough guy."
Fielding made a confident start to the fight but that was blown away by a knockdown that had everyone wondering if we were in for another Rocky horror showing.
Smith was a little further away this time, getting ready for his world title eliminator, but memories came flooding back as Rebrasse landed three big rights, the last one leaving Fielding on his backside.
Fielding looked to trainer Oliver Harrison as he climbed off the canvas but with less than 15 seconds left in the round, he made it to the bell.
He managed to steady himself in the next couple of rounds, his jab and his straight right keeping Rebrasse at bay, but as good as his combinations were, it was clear he was going to follow George Groves and Smith with the Frenchman taking him the full 12 rounds.
But this time, Rebrasse was far more offensive than usual. Time and time again his right landed flush, slipping through the guard and in the sixth and then the eighth, it jarred Fielding's head back.
Fielding spent plenty of time on the ropes almost trying to draw 'L'Iceberg' in but it would have needed a shot of Titanic proportions to put Rebrasse down.
However, Fielding got busier and busier and dominated with a simple left-right combination whenever the pair met in the middle of the ring.
The 10th and 11th were perhaps the two rounds that gave Fielding the edge but another big right from Rebrasse in the final round had Fielding's fans little more than hopeful he had done enough.
