6′ 9″ heavyweight Tye “Big Sky” Fields (45-2, 41 KOs) says he’s in the shape of his life, as he prepares to face fellow giant and former #1 contender “Big” Michael Grant (46-4, 34 KOs) at the Theatre For The Performing Arts in the Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, on Friday, March 11.
Fields says he’s learned a lot since suffering his first loss, a devastating first-round knockout to fringe contender Monte Barrett in June 2008. Working with trainer Ken Lakusta in his adopted home of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, the 36 year old has rattled off four straight knockouts.
“I couldn’t have planned it this well,” explains Fields happily of the move to Canada he and the family made for wife Jennifer’s career in the casino industry. “Ken is a technician and he’s been teaching me how to box and the science of boxing. These are things I haven’t learned in the past.”
A loss to Grant could end the dream for the former college basketball player turned fighter. Barrett was Fields’ first fight against a top 50 opponent. Grant, coming off a valiant loss to top heavyweight contender Tomas Adamek, will be the second.
“He’s at the age where we have to find out one way or the other, so we’re ready to step up again. I think he’s ready,” explains manager Billy Baxter.
Baxter, who has previously managed world champions Roger Mayweather, Bruce Curry and Vernon Forrest, says his fighter is a lot better than the man knocked out by Barrett. “He was ready against Barrett. That was just a bad night. We’d like to move him right up. We’re ready to fight almost anybody.”
Fields and Grant have worked together in the gym in the past and Fields claims he knows the way to beat him.
“I sparred with him before and I know he’s a skilled boxer, but he doesn’t throw as many punches as I do and I’m two years younger. I envision myself going out there in great spirits, wining the jab war, controlling the jab, throwing more punches and moving. I’m going to apply smart pressure on him.”
Fields also says his last fight, a TKO 3 over former Canadian champion Raymond Olubowale, turned out to be the perfect practice drill for facing Grant. “I plan on fighting him the way I fought Olubowale. They’re the same dimensions and I couldn’t have asked for any better than that. I fought a few people 6′ 8″ and taller and it usually works out to my benefit because the punches are coming in the way they do for everybody else – straight and not up.”
Boxing at Planet Hollywood featuring Grant vs. Fields and Casamayor vs. Anchondo is proudly presented by Sterling Promotions in association with American Dream Presents and Heads Up Entertainment. It will be broadcast on pay-per-view by MultiVision Media, Inc., throughout the United States and Canada, tape delay into other countries.
Tickets for the March 11 night of boxing at Planet Hollywood, Las Vegas are priced at $25, $40, $60, $90 and $150 (all seats reserved) and are available at the Planet Hollywood Theater for the Performing Arts box office from 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. daily, except Wednesday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. They are also available by calling the Planet Hollywood box office at 702-785-5555, extension 55620 during those hours and through Ticketmaster at 800-745-3000 and www.ticketmaster.com.