Eddie Hearn: "I nearly dropped the phone when they called"
Saturday 6 October 2018 00:02, UK
Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez will fight WBA super middleweight champion Rocky Fielding at Madison Square Garden on December 15, live on Sky Sports.
Mexican Canelo is one of the most feared fighters on the planet and recently emerged victorious from a rematch with Gennady Golovkin.
Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn, speaking in Chicago ahead of the 'Worlds Collide' bill, revealed Canelo's promoter Eric Gomez, of Golden Boy Promotions, approached him to arrange the fight.
"It's something I didn't think I'd ever say," Hearn told Sky Sports News.
"Rocky Fielding will defend his WBA title against Canelo Alvarez at Madison Square Garden. The Scousers are coming - this is going to be the trip of a lifetime.
"I got a text message from Eric Gomez and thought, 'this could be interesting'. He said 'what's Rocky Fielding up to?', I said 'he's looking for a defence' and he says, 'well does he want to fight Canelo?'. I nearly dropped the phone and said, 'possibly, we are looking at our options' (laughing).
"I spoke to Rocky - and you have to get the best deal for your fighter - but this is the opportunity of a lifetime, this is a Cinderella story. You couldn't make this up.
"This is a fight that will change his life forever. He will go in as the much bigger man, a big underdog in the fight. We know that Canelo is coming up from 154 pounds to 160. Rocky Fielding is going to be 180 pounds in the ring."
Canelo has a 53-fight record, losing just once, on decision to Floyd Mayweather Jr in 2013. Fielding joins a long line of British opponents, with Liam Smith (2016), Amir Khan (2016), Ryan Rhodes (2011) and Matthew Hatton (2011) all
beaten.
Fielding has lost just once in a 28-fight career, though he has boxed more domestically, before winning his world strap against Tyron Zeuge in July.
