Thursday, Aug. 9, 2007 | 7:08 a.m.
What: Top Rank boxing card
Main event: Tye Fields (37-1, 33 KOs) vs. Domonic Jenkins (12-6-2, 6 KOs), 10 rounds, heavyweights
When: 5:15 p.m. today
Where: The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel
Tickets: $50, $75 and $125, box office (693-5066) or Ticketmaster (474-4000)
TV: Versus (Cox cable channel 67), 6 p.m.
Featured undercard bout: Felix Flores (22-5, 18 KOs) vs. Josh Clottey (31-2, 20 KOs), 10 rounds, welterweights
Undercard: Fidencio Reyes (10-4-1, 3 KOs) vs. Josef Agbeko (22-1, 19 KOs), 8 rounds, bantamweights; Anthony Nelson (4-7-1, 4 KOs) vs. Angel Flores, Las Vegas (7-1, 0 KOs), 6 rounds, lightweights; Alton Jauregui (1-1, 0 KOs) vs. Alex Mercado, Las Vegas (1-0, 1 KO), 4 rounds, bantamweights; Javier Garcia (pro debut) vs. TBA, 4 rounds, lightweights; Nicolas Cadena (1-3, 1 KO) vs. Ryan Ellul (3-1, 1 KO), 4 rounds, super lightweights
Tye Fields, the unfailingly polite Las Vegas heavyweight boxer, was saying all the right things about his opponent Domonic Jenkins, a late replacement who took tonight's fight at the Hard Rock on just three days' notice.
Jenkins is known as "the Spoiler," Fields pointed out, because in his most recent seven fights he's beaten four guys with undefeated records (ranging from 4-0 to 9-0), so that must count for something, right?
Yet Fields was also willing to acknowledge he has his eye on a bigger fight should he prevail on tonight's nationally televised card (Versus, Cox cable channel 67).
Fields (37-1, 33 knockouts) wants to take on former world heavyweight champion Hasim Rahman next in a bout that could go a long way in establishing Fields as a leading contender for the world title fight he desires.
"That would be an exciting fight," said Fields, 32, who turned pro at age 24 with no amateur experience. "I'd be honored to fight Rahman, and I would come into it in great shape, ready to go."
Trainer Jesse Reid, a key member of the team that has been assembled around Fields - including promoter Bob Arum and manager Billy Baxter - as he pursues a title shot, said Rahman could be an ideal opponent.
"That's a fight we definitely want," Reid said. Rahman, also promoted by Arum's Top Rank, outpointed Taurus Sykes in a 10-rounder in June. Rahman lost to Oleg Maskaev and fought James Toney to a draw in his previous two fights, both world title bouts.
Reid focused on the technical aspects of Fields' style in preparations at Barry's Boxing Center for tonight's fight.
"For this one, we've been working on the 'inches' of the game. I think Tye's really starting to develop now," he said.
Fields, a 6-foot-8 left-hander originally from Missoula, Mont., was active and busy in his first fight for Top Rank, a 10-round unanimous-decision victory against Kendrick Releford in January at the Orleans.
"You're going to see a lot more movement from me, a stronger jab, and I plan on throwing even more punches," Fields said.
Jenkins (12-6-2, 6 KOs), 34, a barber from Dallas, said Fields represents a step up from his usual level of competition, but added: "A fighter's a fighter, you know?"
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