Jesse Reid turns nearly apoplectic when it's suggested that Tye Fields is anything but a legitimate contender for the heavyweight championship.

The 6-foot-8-inch, 270-pound Fields, a former San Diego State basketball player, reacts with a smile and a shrug.

Reid has devoted his life to boxing and moved to Las Vegas at the request of manager Billy Baxter to help turn Fields into a champion. Fields said he never watched a minute of boxing until, at age 24, an Iowa promoter suggested he give the sport a try.

Reid defends Fields' level of opposition. Fields simply says, "I can only fight who is in front of me."

Both agree the world will know a lot more about Fields after tonight's televised bout on Versus against Kendrick Releford at the Orleans Arena.

Hall of Fame trainer Emanuel Steward said he told Baxter he thought Releford was a bad matchup for Fields (36-1 with 33 knockouts).

"I told Billy, 'If it was me, I'd say no,' " Steward said. "But he told me he had already taken the fight."

And that's fine by Fields, who said he believes he's ready for a top-10 contender. He praised Releford (14-8-1, 5 KOs) but made it clear he believes he's the better man.

Fields, 31, never pulled a glove over his massive fists -- the gloves are extra wide -- until just seven years ago, so he believes his progress has been remarkable.

"Every day, I feel like there are more things I can do and I can see things I didn't see before," he said.

Reid said Fields was treated like a carnival sideshow act when he first began. Fields was lifting weights heavily at the time and was built like a bodybuilder.

He was fed a line of no-hope foes, though Reid pointed out that Fields had no amateur background to rely on.

If Fields gets past Releford, Baxter said he'd like to arrange a bout with WBA champion Nikolai Valuev, who, at 7 feet 2 and 330 pounds, is one of the few heavyweights taller and heavier than Fields.