Want to know how hard Ryan Garcia’s body shot was on Saturday? Let the man who took the blow tell you.
Luke Campbell is a former Olympic champion who has faced a number of top professionals in his seven-plus-year career. And he had never encountered any quite like what he faced at American Airlines Center in Dallas.
The Briton was stopped by a left hook to the gut at 1:58 of Round 7, the first time he hasn’t heard the final bell.
“He’s very heavy handed,” Campbell said. “Even when I was blocking the shots, I could feel them. That was the hardest shot I was ever hit with. I tried and tried to get up, but I couldn’t. I felt him coming on, and I was moving back. And when I moved back, my body relaxed a little bit and that’s the exact time he hit me.”
Campbell (20-4, 16 KOs) has now lost the three biggest fights in his career, competitive decisions in titles fights against Jorge Linares and Vasiliy Lomachenko and now the setback against Garcia.
And he’s 33 years old. You wonder how many more opportunities he will receive.
“I’m honestly heartbroken,” Campbell posted on Instagram. “I really wanted to bring the win back for you all. I’m sorry for that. I hope you all enjoyed the fight. Have to take my hat off to [Ryan Garcia], well done and a massive future ahead for him. I wish him all the best.”
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