Luke Campbell

[mickey1975]

I don't know if any of you are aware but his dad passed two weeks ago after a long illness. He kept it quiet as his dad wanted him to keep focus and win the title. He's a remarkable, good man.

[Marlo Stanfield]

His performance surprised me, didn't think he had that in him. Very good fight Looking forward to seeing him come back from this and hopefully pick up a world title

[Ruthless-RKO]

"I probably cried once a day. I had to try and shut feelings off. After the fight I had a good cry,"

"I didn't want anyone to know."

Campbell added: "If someone had found out I would have denied it. I didn't want Linares' camp thinking it was a weakness. I didn't want them thinking I was hurt.

"The only thing that kept me going is I know what my dad would have wanted for me. To fight and to win."

"At times I thought I outclassed him. I think I did my dad proud, I think we showed how tough we are.

"It was hard for me. I was close to my dad. All the family was together at home and I was on my own, no one around me. I'm glad people had comfort at home. But I feel bad because I wanted to be with my dad.

"I've been telling myself he went because he wanted to be with me."

Campbell says he began to believe his father was "a machine" as when his health deteriorated in recent years he kept "fighting back".

His father's funeral will take place on Thursday, the day after Campbell turns 30.

He said he now hopes he can fulfil his dad's prediction and become a world champion in the future.

From BBC

[Boxerbeetle]

Very sad news and must have been extremely difficult for Luke considering the timing.

[moogie101]

Wow, didn't know that. To put forth such a strong effort whilst going through that is amazing.

[deadpan]

He put in a really impressive performance, especially given that. I hope he can get another shot (he no doubt will), he's a class act.

[Oiky]

What a performance after that news

Fair play to him

[GlobalBox]

Put in a great performance and it was a close fight for sure. It was incredible considering what he has been through so recently. My thoughts go to Luke and his family on there loss.

Keep your chin up champ, you know now you can compete at this level. come back better and stronger and with more confidence and you can achieve what you so dearly want.

[cutsman]

Put in a great performance and it was a close fight for sure. It was incredible considering what he has been through so recently. My thoughts go to Luke and his family on there loss.

Keep your chin up champ, you know now you can compete at this level. come back better and stronger and with more confidence and you can achieve what you so dearly want.

Luke seemed to grow stronger as the fight progressed. Considering how his state of mind must have been it was a brilliant performance.

[rd350lc]

I thought it was a great performance anyway , now knowing what he has been through just multiplies the feat .

Well done coolhand , you did your dad proud .

[Oiky]

Yea he's dad would be very proud of him

[Stuarty]

Yea he's dad would be very proud of him

This

What an effort. Campbell is a class act man. I'd lost a bit of faith in him but he's a top lad and he's done his old man proud. Hats off

[liamlion]

New level of respect for Campbell after hearing that. Poor lad.

[Taansend]

I don't know if any of you are aware but his dad passed two weeks ago after a long illness. He kept it quiet as his dad wanted him to keep focus and win the title. He's a remarkable, good man.

Mate

I guessed as much when you cryptically mentioned this a while back

[mickey1975]

I don't know if any of you are aware but his dad passed two weeks ago after a long illness. He kept it quiet as his dad wanted him to keep focus and win the title. He's a remarkable, good man.

Mate

I guessed as much when you cryptically mentioned this a while back

I wasn't trying to be cryptic, I knew he was very ill, only knew he'd gone a few days before the fight.

[Jackson328]

Have even more respect for his performance after hearing that! Must have been incredibly difficult just being so far away from his family at a time like this never mind preparing for his first world title bid. His father would have been so proud I bet

[CaptainSpacerod]

Had him down as a bit of an overhyped Sky house fighter even given his amateur pedigree.

Watching the fight on saturday i realized how wrong i'd been. Thousands of miles from home, fighting a world class operator, heavily dropped early on but showed the heart of a lion and some real ring intelligence to fight his way back into it aand give as good as he got over the remainder of the fight.

I knew his old man had been ill for some time but the news that he'd recently passed away makes Luke's performance even more praiseworthy. He most certainly did his dad proud.

[FastestHandsInThewest]

So sad.

[Evander]

I'm taking another look at him.
You can see fights for him that will be entertaining.

[rab]

poor lad, some serious mental strength to be able to do that. he still looks like he a has a bit of physical strength to gain to me. would bet my house if he fights linares again in a year or so time he wins clearly.