Fields eyes bigger prize

He came a long way on short notice for not a lot of money to have a former basketball player beat him up, but Domonic Jenkins said it was worth it for the experience of getting in the ring with 6-foot-9-inch heavyweight Tye Fields.

"I never fought anyone that big. It's very difficult trying to fight somebody that big," the 6-5 Jenkins said after quitting after the seventh round of the scheduled 10-round main event Thursday at the Hard Rock Hotel.

Fields, a former San Diego State center who fights southpaw, doesn't give his opponents an easy puzzle to solve. He flails away from all angles, and getting a clean shot against him can be difficult.

The fact that Jenkins had virtually no time to prepare for such an unorthodox fighter didn't help. Nor did the fact he had virtually no time to get into prime shape as he took the fight Monday after Cedric Boswell pulled out with a shoulder injury.

Jenkins, who earned $17,500, dropped to 12-6-2.

"I was really prepared physically for this fight. I was in great shape," said Fields, who lives and trains in Las Vegas and improved to 38-1.

Fields said he wanted to put pressure on Jenkins and not give him room to try to get inside.

"I knew he was coming to fight," Fields said. "He had fought five undefeated fighters, so I wanted to keep the pressure on him. That's what I took from this fight."

Fields was ahead on all three judges' scorecards when Jenkins told referee Jay Nady he was through before the start of the eighth round.

Fields had dominated from the opening bell, and it was a wonder that Jenkins lasted as long as he did considering the punishment he took.

"I tried to give the fans a good show," Jenkins said. "But I didn't know anything about Tye Fields."

Fields, who earned $25,000 for the win, is setting his sights on a bigger payday. He wants Hasim Rahman, and he believes he moved closer to getting that fight with Thursday's victory.

"Definitely," Fields said. "I was very happy with my performance. I feel like I'm ready for Rahman."

While Fields tries to move closer to a big fight, welterweight Joshua Clottey might have earned the shot he wants after posting a 10-round unanimous decision over Felix Flores.

Clottey's win, which improved him to 32-2, put him in a position to fight Luis Collazo in an elimination bout with the winner getting a title shot at IBF champion Kermit Cintron.

Clottey, who is ranked No. 8 by the IBF, would prefer to skip Collazo, who is ranked seventh, and go right to Cintron, who he claims has disrespected him.

"I want Cintron badly," Clottey said after the judges awarded him a 97-93, 100-90, 99-91 decision over Flores. "He said I'm not ready to fight him. I know I'm ready."