Rocky Fielding is living the dream in the Big Apple.
Liverpool?s home-spun world super-middleweight champion is taking in the sights and talking a good fight as he prepares to meet the formidable challenge of Canelo Alvarez here this Saturday night.
Fielding has been posing for photographs at the historic Madison Square Garden arena, along with all the other attractions.
Although, of course, getting his rest in the city that never sleeps.
Ironically, he has recalled asking Canelo for a selfie when they first met. ?Hard to believe I?m now fighting him,? he says.
That is not to say he?s intimidated. After making his way down the line of flashing cameras and microphones he said: ?I?m enjoying this now. Yeah it?s different to Liverpool but this what I?ve working for all my career.
?It?s nice to be recognised in the street. It?s very nice to be in a big fight against a top operator.
?I like the attention. And I?m ready for the fight against a good opponent. I won?t freeze in the ring any more than I?m freezing here. I can?t wait.?
Fielding was treated to a taste of the red carpet treatment himself when the New York arrival of he and Canelo was staged at one of the biggest sports bars in town.
There is respect between them, despite Rocky having been knocked out in the first round by fellow Liverpudlian Callum Smith in their fight for the WBA ?super? world title, as opposed to the secondary ?regular? belt which they are disputing shortly.
That is his only defeat and he stands five inches taller than Canelo. The world middleweight champion is stepping up yet another division and says: ?I don?t expect an easy fight. Anything but. Fielding will be bigger and perhaps stronger, although of course I am the superior boxer.
‘I have had to make all the necessary preparations and adjustments to overcome his size.?
Fielding?s approach to an opportunity which came as much of a surprise to him as almost everyone else in boxing, is very Rocky.
With tongue in cheek he says: ?Do I have a plan? Oh, yes. To keep hitting him in the face until he falls down.?
