'Canelo' Alvarez v Rocky Fielding: Beaten Briton says he 'dared to be great'

Rocky Fielding was stopped by Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez in the third round at Madison Square Garden

Rocky Fielding said he "dared to be great" and vowed to bounce back from defeat by Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez.

The Briton was put down four times in three rounds by the talented Mexican, who took a version of the WBA world super-middleweight title.

"With my background and where I have come from, to get here and in with Canelo is an achievement," Fielding said after Saturday's bout in New York.

"He's the best I've fought - speed, power, footwork, defence, everything."

The Liverpudlian added: "He does everything well. His timing is good, his selection is good and his presence - just being there making me work when I didn't have to.

"I knew I couldn't switch off and had to be on my game."

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Fielding, 31, said he regretted not using his height advantage of about six inches to keep the fight at distance.

Instead, he allowed 28-year-old Alvarez to work in close and three of the four knockdowns before the third-round stoppage came after heavy shots to the body.

Fielding said the body shots felt "like the wind was being taken out of me", adding: "He placed them well and caught me.

"I stood there too long, thought I could mix it with him and shouldn't have. With my height, I should have kept it long.

"I went in there, tried my best and that's what the elite are like. I never shied away from the challenge.

"I dared to be great, lived a dream - but I will come again and come back."

The fight at Madison Square Garden was a first at 168lb for Alvarez, who also holds two world titles in the 160lb middleweight division.

He is now tied to an 11-fight, five-year fight deal worth £278m but it is unknown if he will drop back down a division.

Asked if Alvarez has the power to compete at the elite end of the super-middleweight division, Fielding said: "Definitely. He has that next-level power and puts shot together well.

"He can mix it with any super-middleweight."