Luke Campbell suffered another tough defeat in a big fight today, knocked out in the seventh round against Ryan Garcia, after a good start for the British veteran who saw Garcia fall in the second round.
Campbell (20-4, 16 KO’s) is now 33 and is still a lightweight contender, but he also hasn’t won a world title yet and this latest setback is likely to be the most difficult to recover.
That said, the former Olympic gold medalist gave Garcia, 22 (21-0, 18 KO) full credit for his victory and performance, and said that the body shot that ended him was the strongest punch he had already felt.
“He is very heavy. Even when I was blocking shots, I could feel them, ”said Campbell. “This was the most difficult shot I have ever made. I tried and tried to get up, but I couldn’t. I felt him coming, and I was stepping back, and when you stepped back, my body relaxed a little and that was when he hit me.
Campbell also credited Garcia for showing a lot of heart when he left the screen and returned to the fight.
“He did very well when he got up from the second round kick,” said Campbell. “I felt it through my arm and I knew it was beautiful, but all credit to him, he stood up and showed that he has a real heart.
“It was a great fight and I knew I was right in the fight and I thought I was doing a good round in the seventh, but it was a fantastic shot in the body. I was ready to strike again and he just timed the punch perfectly, I wanted to beat the count, but I just couldn’t do it, you just have to raise your hands and say it was a great shot from a very talented fighter who will go a long way . “