Tag: jorge linares

Fight Week: All eyes on Vasiliy Lomachenko vs. Teofimo Lopez

Vasiliy Lomachenko faces Teofimo Lopez on Saturday in Las Vegas.

FIGHT WEEK

A look at the coming week in boxing in capsules.

***

VASILIY LOMACHENKO (14-1, 10 KOs)
VS. TEOFIMO LOPEZ (15-0, 12 KOs)

When: Saturday, Oct. 17
Where: MGM Grand, Las Vegas
TV: ESPN
Division: Lightweight
At stake: Lomachenko’s WBA, WBC and WBO, and Lopez’s IBF titles
Odds: Lomachenko 3-1
Also on the card: Alex Saucedo vs. Arnold Barboza Jr., junior welterweights
Prediction: Lomachenko UD
Background: Lomachenko is ranked No. 1 on the Boxing Junkie pound-for-pound list for a reason: He has been a dominating fighter almost since the day he started his pro career. The three-division titleholder will be attempting to become an undisputed champion for the first time, if you consider him the WBC titleholder in light of his “franchise champion” designation. Boxing Junkie does. Some have suggested the 32-year-old Ukrainian boxing wizard, a two-time Olympic champion, has begun to slip. They base that opinion on victories over Jorge Linares and Luke Campbell in which he looked vulnerable at times. Some also believe the former 126- and 130-pound titleholder will be at a size disadvantage against Lopez at 135. Lopez has put together a string of sensational victories but doesn’t have a deep resume. He won his title in December when he stopped Richard Commey, his toughest opponent to date. Lopez definitely passes the eye test. He is skillful, quick and powerful. We’ll see if he has what it takes against arguably the best boxer on the planet.

***

LEWIS RITSON (20-1, 12 KOs)
VS. MIGUEL VAZQUEZ (42-9, 16 KOs)

When: Saturday, Oct. 17
Where: Peterborough, England
TV: DAZN (Sky Sports in U.K.)
Division: Junior welterweight
At stake: Nothing
Odds: NA
Also on the card: Savannah Marshall vs. Hannah Rankin, middleweights (for Marshall’s title); Thomas Patrick Ward vs. Thomas Essomba, junior featherweights; Qais Ashfaq vs. Marc Leach, junior featherweights
Prediction: Ritson UD
Background: Ritson has proven himself on the European level and is ranked by three of the four major sanctioning bodies, No. 2 by the WBA. The 27-year-old Newcastle fighter hopes that a victory in his twice-delayed bout with Vazquez will be another step toward making an impact on the world level. He is coming off an impressive unanimous-decision victory over capable Robbie Davies Jr. in October of last year, which means he will have been out of the ring for a year because of the coronavirus. Vazquez, 33, was a dominating lightweight titleholder beginning a decade ago – he held a title for four years — but he hasn’t been as successful in recent fights. The Mexican is 3-4 in his last seven fights going back to 2017, losing to Josh Taylor, Thulani Mbenge, Ohara Davies and Batyrzhan Jukembayev. He is coming off a fifth-round TKO over journeyman Jesus Miguel Velasco in December.

Fight Week: All eyes on Vasiliy Lomachenko vs. Teofimo Lopez

Vasiliy Lomachenko faces Teofimo Lopez on Saturday in Las Vegas.

FIGHT WEEK

A look at the coming week in boxing in capsules.

***

VASILIY LOMACHENKO (14-1, 10 KOs)
VS. TEOFIMO LOPEZ (15-0, 12 KOs)

When: Saturday, Oct. 17
Where: MGM Grand, Las Vegas
TV: ESPN
Division: Lightweight
At stake: Lomachenko’s WBA, WBC and WBO, and Lopez’s IBF titles
Odds: Lomachenko 3-1
Also on the card: Alex Saucedo vs. Arnold Barboza Jr., junior welterweights
Prediction: Lomachenko UD
Background: Lomachenko is ranked No. 1 on the Boxing Junkie pound-for-pound list for a reason: He has been a dominating fighter almost since the day he started his pro career. The three-division titleholder will be attempting to become an undisputed champion for the first time, if you consider him the WBC titleholder in light of his “franchise champion” designation. Boxing Junkie does. Some have suggested the 32-year-old Ukrainian boxing wizard, a two-time Olympic champion, has begun to slip. They base that opinion on victories over Jorge Linares and Luke Campbell in which he looked vulnerable at times. Some also believe the former 126- and 130-pound titleholder will be at a size disadvantage against Lopez at 135. Lopez has put together a string of sensational victories but doesn’t have a deep resume. He won his title in December when he stopped Richard Commey, his toughest opponent to date. Lopez definitely passes the eye test. He is skillful, quick and powerful. We’ll see if he has what it takes against arguably the best boxer on the planet.

***

LEWIS RITSON (20-1, 12 KOs)
VS. MIGUEL VAZQUEZ (42-9, 16 KOs)

When: Saturday, Oct. 17
Where: Peterborough, England
TV: DAZN (Sky Sports in U.K.)
Division: Junior welterweight
At stake: Nothing
Odds: NA
Also on the card: Savannah Marshall vs. Hannah Rankin, middleweights (for Marshall’s title); Thomas Patrick Ward vs. Thomas Essomba, junior featherweights; Qais Ashfaq vs. Marc Leach, junior featherweights
Prediction: Ritson UD
Background: Ritson has proven himself on the European level and is ranked by three of the four major sanctioning bodies, No. 2 by the WBA. The 27-year-old Newcastle fighter hopes that a victory in his twice-delayed bout with Vazquez will be another step toward making an impact on the world level. He is coming off an impressive unanimous-decision victory over capable Robbie Davies Jr. in October of last year, which means he will have been out of the ring for a year because of the coronavirus. Vazquez, 33, was a dominating lightweight titleholder beginning a decade ago – he held a title for four years — but he hasn’t been as successful in recent fights. The Mexican is 3-4 in his last seven fights going back to 2017, losing to Josh Taylor, Thulani Mbenge, Ohara Davies and Batyrzhan Jukembayev. He is coming off a fifth-round TKO over journeyman Jesus Miguel Velasco in December.

5 questions going into Vasiliy Lomachenko vs. Teofimo Lopez

Here are five questions going into the title-unification fight between Vasiliy Lomachenko and Teofimo Lopez on Saturday.

Vasiliy Lomachenko will face Teofimo Lopez on Saturday in a lightweight title-unification bout that is as compelling as any possible matchup in boxing.

Lomachenko, ranked No. 1 on Boxing Junkie’s pound-for-pound list, is one of the best of his generation. Lopez, an Honorable Mention on the list, is a brash, supremely talented young fighter who has superstar written all over him.

Lomachenko will either underscore his position at the pinnacle of the sport or pass the torch to Lopez. The winner also will claim all four of the major lightweight belts.

Here are five questions going into the fight.

***

No. 1

Is Lomachenko really slipping?

The 32-year-old Ukrainian stopped Jorge Linares in 10 rounds in May 2018 and defeated Luke Campbell by a wide unanimous decision in August of last year yet some people believe they saw vulnerability in him they hadn’t seen before.

Linares, an excellent boxer, essentially fought Lomachenko on even terms before he was stopped. The official scores were 85-85, 86-84 and 84-86 after nine rounds. And Campbell, a quality left-hander with a significant height advantage, gave the victor problems at times even though he lost 119-108, 119-108 and 118-109.

Should any difficulties Lomachenko had simply be attributed to two talented opponents? Even the greatest fighters have challenging moments against top-level opposition.

Or at 32 and with 400-plus fights over two decades-plus under his belt, has time begun to catch up with him? Other fighters have begun to decline around that age. At the same time, Lomachenko, who has excellent defensive skills, hasn’t taken any beatings in his career.

We’ll learn more on Saturday.

***

No. 2

Is Lomachenko too small for Lopez?

Lopez has said that Lomachenko is too small for him. And he might be on to something.

Lomachenko has moved up from 126 to 130 to 135 in only 15 fights. It’s reasonable to hypothesize that he’s, say, a natural 130-pounder fighting at 135 even though he has weighed 134½ for all four of his lightweight fights.

Remember: The Linares and Campbell fights both took place at 135. If he had any problems, maybe a size disadvantage played a role.

Most fighters sacrifice something when they continually move up in weight. Typically, it’s power. Lomachenko has two KOs at 135, Linares and Anthony Crolla. He seems to have some some pop. And sometimes a fighter loses overall effectiveness as he moves up.

Lopez is a career-long 135-pounder who has fought as heavy as 139¾. He’s the naturally bigger guy.

***

No. 3

Do we have an accurate picture of Lopez?

The Honduran-American has been sensational every time out, whether it was his boxing ability, his speed, his punching power or his trade mark flip after every victory. And he didn’t just win a 135-pound title in December; he seized it, destroying Richard Commey in less than two rounds.

What do we really know about Lopez, though?

He hasn’t exactly beaten an A-list of opponents. Diego Magdaleno and Commey, arguably his toughest opponents, are good fighters but not the kind of tests to give us a complete picture of Lopez’s ability.

Lopez himself has acknowledged he has more to prove after Lomachenko questioned his resume.

He appears to have all the tools necessary to become a major star but we can’t be certain.

***

No. 4

Is Lopez the toughest opponent Lomachenko will have faced?

That’s a stretch given Lomachenko’s resume.

Consider his big-name victims: Gary Russell Jr., Roman Martinez, Nicholas Walters, Guillermo Rigondeaux, Linares, Jose Pedraza, Crolla and Campbell. Lopez might turn out to be better than any of those fighters but, going back to No. 3 here, we can’t say that yet.

We don’t know whether Lopez’s has a skill set that will allow him to keep pace with Lomachenko. And we don’t know whether he can handle the pressure that comes with a fight of this magnitude, although he hasn’t shown any signs of cracking in the past.

That said, Lopez seems to have a combination of speed, power and size than none of Lomachenko’s previous opponents had when they faced him, which could pose a significant problem for “Hi-Tech” in the ring.

***

No. 5

Should the fight be compared to Floyd Mayweather vs. Canelo Alvarez?

Some have compared Lomachenko-Lopez to Mayweather-Alvarez for obvious reasons: A master boxer was pitted against a gifted, rising young Latino in both of the fights.

Lopez said he doesn’t like the comparison. And neither should you.

Lomachenko will be a first-ballot Hall of Famer one day but he hasn’t reached the level of Mayweather in terms of accomplishments and recognition. And while Canelo was still developing when he fought Mayweather, he had already beaten Shane Mosley and Austin Trout. Plus, the Mexican already had a massive following. Lopez isn’t anywhere near that yet.

None of that is meant to diminish Lomachenko vs. Lopez, which would be a compelling fight in any era. Fans have reason to be excited.

[lawrence-related id=14621,14618,14546,14453,14306]

5 questions going into Vasiliy Lomachenko vs. Teofimo Lopez

Here are five questions going into the title-unification fight between Vasiliy Lomachenko and Teofimo Lopez on Saturday.

Vasiliy Lomachenko will face Teofimo Lopez on Saturday in a lightweight title-unification bout that is as compelling as any possible matchup in boxing.

Lomachenko, ranked No. 1 on Boxing Junkie’s pound-for-pound list, is one of the best of his generation. Lopez, an Honorable Mention on the list, is a brash, supremely talented young fighter who has superstar written all over him.

Lomachenko will either underscore his position at the pinnacle of the sport or pass the torch to Lopez. The winner also will claim all four of the major lightweight belts.

Here are five questions going into the fight.

***

No. 1

Is Lomachenko really slipping?

The 32-year-old Ukrainian stopped Jorge Linares in 10 rounds in May 2018 and defeated Luke Campbell by a wide unanimous decision in August of last year yet some people believe they saw vulnerability in him they hadn’t seen before.

Linares, an excellent boxer, essentially fought Lomachenko on even terms before he was stopped. The official scores were 85-85, 86-84 and 84-86 after nine rounds. And Campbell, a quality left-hander with a significant height advantage, gave the victor problems at times even though he lost 119-108, 119-108 and 118-109.

Should any difficulties Lomachenko had simply be attributed to two talented opponents? Even the greatest fighters have challenging moments against top-level opposition.

Or at 32 and with 400-plus fights over two decades-plus under his belt, has time begun to catch up with him? Other fighters have begun to decline around that age. At the same time, Lomachenko, who has excellent defensive skills, hasn’t taken any beatings in his career.

We’ll learn more on Saturday.

***

No. 2

Is Lomachenko too small for Lopez?

Lopez has said that Lomachenko is too small for him. And he might be on to something.

Lomachenko has moved up from 126 to 130 to 135 in only 15 fights. It’s reasonable to hypothesize that he’s, say, a natural 130-pounder fighting at 135 even though he has weighed 134½ for all four of his lightweight fights.

Remember: The Linares and Campbell fights both took place at 135. If he had any problems, maybe a size disadvantage played a role.

Most fighters sacrifice something when they continually move up in weight. Typically, it’s power. Lomachenko has two KOs at 135, Linares and Anthony Crolla. He seems to have some some pop. And sometimes a fighter loses overall effectiveness as he moves up.

Lopez is a career-long 135-pounder who has fought as heavy as 139¾. He’s the naturally bigger guy.

***

No. 3

Do we have an accurate picture of Lopez?

The Honduran-American has been sensational every time out, whether it was his boxing ability, his speed, his punching power or his trade mark flip after every victory. And he didn’t just win a 135-pound title in December; he seized it, destroying Richard Commey in less than two rounds.

What do we really know about Lopez, though?

He hasn’t exactly beaten an A-list of opponents. Diego Magdaleno and Commey, arguably his toughest opponents, are good fighters but not the kind of tests to give us a complete picture of Lopez’s ability.

Lopez himself has acknowledged he has more to prove after Lomachenko questioned his resume.

He appears to have all the tools necessary to become a major star but we can’t be certain.

***

No. 4

Is Lopez the toughest opponent Lomachenko will have faced?

That’s a stretch given Lomachenko’s resume.

Consider his big-name victims: Gary Russell Jr., Roman Martinez, Nicholas Walters, Guillermo Rigondeaux, Linares, Jose Pedraza, Crolla and Campbell. Lopez might turn out to be better than any of those fighters but, going back to No. 3 here, we can’t say that yet.

We don’t know whether Lopez’s has a skill set that will allow him to keep pace with Lomachenko. And we don’t know whether he can handle the pressure that comes with a fight of this magnitude, although he hasn’t shown any signs of cracking in the past.

That said, Lopez seems to have a combination of speed, power and size than none of Lomachenko’s previous opponents had when they faced him, which could pose a significant problem for “Hi-Tech” in the ring.

***

No. 5

Should the fight be compared to Floyd Mayweather vs. Canelo Alvarez?

Some have compared Lomachenko-Lopez to Mayweather-Alvarez for obvious reasons: A master boxer was pitted against a gifted, rising young Latino in both of the fights.

Lopez said he doesn’t like the comparison. And neither should you.

Lomachenko will be a first-ballot Hall of Famer one day but he hasn’t reached the level of Mayweather in terms of accomplishments and recognition. And while Canelo was still developing when he fought Mayweather, he had already beaten Shane Mosley and Austin Trout. Plus, the Mexican already had a massive following. Lopez isn’t anywhere near that yet.

None of that is meant to diminish Lomachenko vs. Lopez, which would be a compelling fight in any era. Fans have reason to be excited.

[lawrence-related id=14621,14618,14546,14453,14306]

Ryan Garcia vs. Luke Campbell officially set for Dec. 5

Lightweight contenders Ryan Garcia and Luke Campbell will meet on Dec. 5 on DAZN, the streaming service announced Thursday.

Ryan Garcia vs. Luke Campbell is finally a done deal.

The lightweight contenders will meet on Dec. 5 on DAZN, the streaming service announced Thursday. The news release indicated that the venue and undercard fights would be announced later.

Garcia (20-0, 17 KOs) is one of the hottest personalities in the sport, although he has yet to beat a big-name opponent. He has stopped his last three opponents in two, one and one rounds, including Francisco Fonseca in February. Fonseca lasted only 1:20.

“I’ve been eagerly waiting to get back in the ring and have been working harder than ever to get here,” Garcia said. “It’s been a tough year for everyone, but I’m excited to bring the fans an escape for the night … or based on my track record, a few minutes at most.

“Luke’s record speaks for itself, but I’m ready to prove the doubters wrong. This is my era now and December 5th is just the start of it.”

Campbell (20-3, 16 KOs) is a 2012 Olympic champion who has twice challenged for major titles, losing decisions to Jorge Linares and Vasiliy Lomachenko.

“2020 has been an extremely tough year for everyone, so I’m really pleased we can finally get this fight officially on and give the fans something to look forward to,” Campbell said. “There’s been a lot of talk and he’s clearly a very highly regarded fighter, but I’m going to prove that this is far too much, far too soon and that I’m on a completely different level.

“I’ve fought in America before, so this will be nothing new for myself and my team. Fans or no fans, the one thing I can guarantee is that I will be coming back to the U.K. with the victory.

“Training hasn’t stopped for me, and I’m going to be in peak condition to show something very special from Luke Campbell on December 5.”

The fight is for the interim WBC 135-pound title. Lomachenko is the actual WBC champion. Devin Haney holds a secondary belt.

[lawrence-related id=13718,13660,13323]

Ryan Garcia vs. Luke Campbell officially set for Dec. 5

Lightweight contenders Ryan Garcia and Luke Campbell will meet on Dec. 5 on DAZN, the streaming service announced Thursday.

Ryan Garcia vs. Luke Campbell is finally a done deal.

The lightweight contenders will meet on Dec. 5 on DAZN, the streaming service announced Thursday. The news release indicated that the venue and undercard fights would be announced later.

Garcia (20-0, 17 KOs) is one of the hottest personalities in the sport, although he has yet to beat a big-name opponent. He has stopped his last three opponents in two, one and one rounds, including Francisco Fonseca in February. Fonseca lasted only 1:20.

“I’ve been eagerly waiting to get back in the ring and have been working harder than ever to get here,” Garcia said. “It’s been a tough year for everyone, but I’m excited to bring the fans an escape for the night … or based on my track record, a few minutes at most.

“Luke’s record speaks for itself, but I’m ready to prove the doubters wrong. This is my era now and December 5th is just the start of it.”

Campbell (20-3, 16 KOs) is a 2012 Olympic champion who has twice challenged for major titles, losing decisions to Jorge Linares and Vasiliy Lomachenko.

“2020 has been an extremely tough year for everyone, so I’m really pleased we can finally get this fight officially on and give the fans something to look forward to,” Campbell said. “There’s been a lot of talk and he’s clearly a very highly regarded fighter, but I’m going to prove that this is far too much, far too soon and that I’m on a completely different level.

“I’ve fought in America before, so this will be nothing new for myself and my team. Fans or no fans, the one thing I can guarantee is that I will be coming back to the U.K. with the victory.

“Training hasn’t stopped for me, and I’m going to be in peak condition to show something very special from Luke Campbell on December 5.”

The fight is for the interim WBC 135-pound title. Lomachenko is the actual WBC champion. Devin Haney holds a secondary belt.

[lawrence-related id=13718,13660,13323]

Video: Mannix, Mora: How would Ryan Garcia-Luke Campbell fight play out?

Ryan Garcia is one of the fastest-rising young stars in the sport. Luke Campbell is a proven veteran. They are expected to collide in a lightweight bout this November, probably in California, although contracts have yet to be signed. How would that …

Ryan Garcia is one of the fastest-rising young stars in the sport. Luke Campbell is a proven veteran.

They are expected to collide in a lightweight bout this November, probably in California, although contracts have yet to be signed.

How would that fight play out?

Garcia seems to be loaded with talent and can crack, but he hasn’t faced anyone on the level of Campbell, a former Olympian. Campbell lost to Jorge Linares and Vasiliy Lomachenko in two of his last five fights but acquitted himself reasonably well both times.

In this episode of Jabs with Mannix and Mora, courtesy of DAZN, hosts Todd Grisham and Sergio Mora give their takes on the prospective 135-pound showdown.

Here’s what they had to say.

[jwplayer ndT22rvg]

Video: Mannix, Mora: How would Ryan Garcia-Luke Campbell fight play out?

Ryan Garcia is one of the fastest-rising young stars in the sport. Luke Campbell is a proven veteran. They are expected to collide in a lightweight bout this November, probably in California, although contracts have yet to be signed. How would that …

Ryan Garcia is one of the fastest-rising young stars in the sport. Luke Campbell is a proven veteran.

They are expected to collide in a lightweight bout this November, probably in California, although contracts have yet to be signed.

How would that fight play out?

Garcia seems to be loaded with talent and can crack, but he hasn’t faced anyone on the level of Campbell, a former Olympian. Campbell lost to Jorge Linares and Vasiliy Lomachenko in two of his last five fights but acquitted himself reasonably well both times.

In this episode of Jabs with Mannix and Mora, courtesy of DAZN, hosts Todd Grisham and Sergio Mora give their takes on the prospective 135-pound showdown.

Here’s what they had to say.

[jwplayer ndT22rvg]

Luke Campbell predicts he’ll knock out Ryan Garcia

Luke Campbell believes that his edge in experience will be the difference in a projected showdown with Ryan Garcia in November. And the 2012 Olympic champion from England isn’t talking about a run-of-the-mill victory. He envisions himself stopping …

Luke Campbell believes that his edge in experience will be the difference in a projected showdown with Ryan Garcia in November.

And the 2012 Olympic champion from England isn’t talking about a run-of-the-mill victory. He envisions himself stopping the undefeated young lightweight star.

Campbell told Sky Sports that he expects the fight to take place Nov. 14 in California.

“Hopefully we’ve got a date in November,” Campbell said. “We’re looking around the 14th, so hopefully we can move on that date soon. For me, it’s done. That’s the guy who I’m facing. He’s the one that’s there to win, because he’s the up and coming guy, but I’m excited by this opportunity to show the world what I’m really capable of doing.

“I see me just breaking him down and stopping him.”

Campbell (20-3, 16 KOs) is coming off a solid performance in a unanimous-decision defeat against Vasiliy Lomachenko in August of last year.

That’s the kind of experience, he said, that will serve him against an opponent still building his resume.

“My opposition have been levels above what he’s had to face so far,” he said. “In my 17th fight, I fought a three-weight world champion in [Jorge] Linares, who at that time was in his prime and was also in the Top 10 pound-for-pound list as well. It’s a fight I thought I won.

“Then fighting Lomachenko, who is ranked pound-for-pound No 1 in the world. I’ve had experience being in there with world opposition. Class guys. All that does for me is grow my confidence, makes me believe in myself.

“Coming from my last performance, I know I can be so much better than that, and now this is my opportunity to go and prove it.”

One edge Garcia (20-0, 17 KOs) might have: The fight would take place in the Los Angeles-area fighter’s home state, although it’s unlikely fans will be allowed to attend the event.

“At the moment, there’s no fans, but I guess you never know,” Campbell said. “The location will be California. I’ve always enjoyed going out there to America. I enjoy California, I think it’s a great place and there will be some great preparation there for me as well.”

And if Campbell wins? He told Sky Sports that he’d like a shot at the winner of the Oct. 17 Lomachenko-Teofimo Lopez title-unification fight.

“It’s the best fighting the best and this is what boxing is for me,” he said. “I’ve never ducked a fight. I want to face the best, because I want to see what I’m made of. I want to see how far I can go.

“The longer the fight goes I just see Lomachenko becoming more stronger during the fight. Lopez is a great fighter, got some great skills. It’s boxing, you never know.

“I’d love that match-up [against Lopez]. I’m good friends with him and his dad, but it would be a fantastic fight.”

[lawrence-related id=13323,13016,12855]

 

Luke Campbell predicts he’ll knock out Ryan Garcia

Luke Campbell believes that his edge in experience will be the difference in a projected showdown with Ryan Garcia in November. And the 2012 Olympic champion from England isn’t talking about a run-of-the-mill victory. He envisions himself stopping …

Luke Campbell believes that his edge in experience will be the difference in a projected showdown with Ryan Garcia in November.

And the 2012 Olympic champion from England isn’t talking about a run-of-the-mill victory. He envisions himself stopping the undefeated young lightweight star.

Campbell told Sky Sports that he expects the fight to take place Nov. 14 in California.

“Hopefully we’ve got a date in November,” Campbell said. “We’re looking around the 14th, so hopefully we can move on that date soon. For me, it’s done. That’s the guy who I’m facing. He’s the one that’s there to win, because he’s the up and coming guy, but I’m excited by this opportunity to show the world what I’m really capable of doing.

“I see me just breaking him down and stopping him.”

Campbell (20-3, 16 KOs) is coming off a solid performance in a unanimous-decision defeat against Vasiliy Lomachenko in August of last year.

That’s the kind of experience, he said, that will serve him against an opponent still building his resume.

“My opposition have been levels above what he’s had to face so far,” he said. “In my 17th fight, I fought a three-weight world champion in [Jorge] Linares, who at that time was in his prime and was also in the Top 10 pound-for-pound list as well. It’s a fight I thought I won.

“Then fighting Lomachenko, who is ranked pound-for-pound No 1 in the world. I’ve had experience being in there with world opposition. Class guys. All that does for me is grow my confidence, makes me believe in myself.

“Coming from my last performance, I know I can be so much better than that, and now this is my opportunity to go and prove it.”

One edge Garcia (20-0, 17 KOs) might have: The fight would take place in the Los Angeles-area fighter’s home state, although it’s unlikely fans will be allowed to attend the event.

“At the moment, there’s no fans, but I guess you never know,” Campbell said. “The location will be California. I’ve always enjoyed going out there to America. I enjoy California, I think it’s a great place and there will be some great preparation there for me as well.”

And if Campbell wins? He told Sky Sports that he’d like a shot at the winner of the Oct. 17 Lomachenko-Teofimo Lopez title-unification fight.

“It’s the best fighting the best and this is what boxing is for me,” he said. “I’ve never ducked a fight. I want to face the best, because I want to see what I’m made of. I want to see how far I can go.

“The longer the fight goes I just see Lomachenko becoming more stronger during the fight. Lopez is a great fighter, got some great skills. It’s boxing, you never know.

“I’d love that match-up [against Lopez]. I’m good friends with him and his dad, but it would be a fantastic fight.”

[lawrence-related id=13323,13016,12855]