Champ welcoming all challengers

CHRIS FIELDS says he’s willing to defend his Cage Warriors middleweight title against whoever who wants a shot, having captured the belt in Amman, Jordan on Saturday night. Fields (10-4-0) dominated Ukrainian submission specialist Pavel Kusch (13-3-0) in the CWFC Fight Night 7 main event before the fight was stopped in the third round by referee Marc Goddard, who correctly deemed Kusch unable to continue. The victory meant that Fields was the last man standing in an injury-plagued eight-man middleweight tournament that began back in February, when the Irishman defeated Jack Mason in their quarter-final meeting. An injury forced Fields out of his scheduled semi-final clash with John Phillips in April, but when injuries cost both Phillips and Victor Cheng a place in the final, Fields made the most of his second chance by putting Kusch to the sword in brutal fashion at the New Boxing Arena on Saturday. There is certainly no shortage of challengers in the Cage Warriors middleweight division at present, with a lengthy list of contenders hoping for the opportunity to relieve Fields of the coveted strap. Phillips (16-5-0-1) and Cheng (9-2-0) are likely to be first in line, while CWFC-signed middleweights like Mats Nilsson (9-2-1) and Vladimir Katyhin (16-4-1) will also fancy a shot at the man currently at the summit. While John Phillips has been confirmed for the Cage Warriors 49 card in Cardiff on October 27, it remains to be seen whether Cage Warriors chiefs will call Fields back into action so soon for his first title defence. A more realistic target may be Cage Warriors’ return to Fields’ hometown of Dublin on New Years Eve, but the 29-year-old has mentioned the possibility of surgery on a hip problem before stepping back into the cage. “I’ll fight anyone,” said the newly-crowned champion. “A fit Chris Fields will beat anyone. I know it for a fact. I’ll fight anyone when I’m fit, not a bother. “I do deserve to be here, I took the longest route possible, but there are a couple of guys out because of injuries who deserve a shot as well. I’ll happily give it to them.”