Luke Campbell vs. Javier Fortuna - TBA

[Ruthless-RKO]

Luke Campbell Staying Patient, But Fears Title Shot May Never Come

Luke Campbell should have been packing his bags to travel to the United States this week ahead of his world title challenge, but he fears that if the coronavirus pandemic is not brought under control, his shot may never come.

Campbell was supposed to be boxing for the vacant WBC lightweight title against Javier Fortuna on April 17 at the MGM National Harbor in Maryland. But, despite initial thoughts that the fight might go ahead behind closed doors, it was soon postponed, leaving Campbell training without the knowledge of when, or even if, it will go ahead.

When the bout was called off, Campbell was told by Eddie Hearn, the promoter, that it could go ahead at the end of May. But the longer the pandemic continues to develop, the less that seems likely.

“I’ve been given a rough idea, I’m told end of May in America,” Campbell, 32, said. “Things might be more normal there end of May time than they are here.

“You don’t know what is going to happen. This could take months, it could take years. What happens if it takes four years? My career is over then. But I can’t do nowt about it.”

He was deep into training camp in Canterbury with trainer Shane McGuigan when the bout was postponed.

“I had four weeks left of training, so I was in the thick of it,” he said. “I had been training since the second week of January.

“I’d been sparring, had spent a fair bit of money on my training camp, I’m not going to get that back. Maybe I will be putting a letter in to the government.”

As he trained, though, it had been difficult to ignore the growing pandemic. The fight was still on when President Trump implemented a 30-day travel ban from the UK.

“If they stuck to that 30 days, that would have meant I was flying into America on April 15. Just two days before the fight,” he said. “So I thought I will never be flying on the 15th and fighting on the 17th. I just thought the fight will definitely have to be put back. I spoke to Eddie a couple of days later and he said it would be put back.

“I sort of knew it wasn’t going to happen. I am in the same boat as everyone else. What can you do? You can’t get angry and mad about it, we’re in a world crisis.”

With schools closed, Campbell has been training home, while attempting to help his children with their school work.

“I’m lucky enough to have a gym at home, so I am training, ticking over at home and in between training sessions we are home-schooling the boys,” he said.

“I’ve got a treadmill, I run on there. If I was to go out it is to walk the dog and if someone is on the same side of the road as me, I cross over and avoid them. I can run, I can do weights, I can do circuits, I can hit the bag, I can shadowbox, so I can tick over apart from sparring and padwork.”

Figuring out schoolwork for seven and nine year-olds is tougher, though.

“I can’t understand half their work – good job I’ve got a smart wife,” he said. “It melts my brain. I wasn’t the best at school. My kids are smarter than I was.

“It’s frustrating obviously, because I want to get my hands on that world title. But I am made to wait longer again.”

[rio]

Devin Haney should get his title back now he is able to defend it and fight Fortuna later in the year. He should never have been stripped in the first place.

[Glass Joe]

Devin Haney Reinstated As WBC Lightweight Champion

Haney won his title via email, lost it via email and has regained it by email.

Is Haney classed as a 2-time email champion?

[Ruthless-RKO]

Should just be a normal eliminator now.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Campbell: Fortuna Bout Should Still Be For Title, Haney Can Get Winner

Olympic gold medal winner Luke Campbell is adamant that his previously ordered bout with Javier Fortuna should still proceed for the vacant WBC lightweight title.

The belt became vacant when the World Boxing Council named Devin Haney a 'champion in recess' - due to a shoulder injury that required surgery. And then they ordered Campbell and Fortuna to fight for the vacant belt - with the winner being required to face Haney.

But the Campbell-Fortuna bout was postponed due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic - and Haney is now fully healed and ready to make a defense of his belt.

Haney has since filed a petition with the WBC to regain his status as the organization's full champion.

While not official, many are expecting Haney to regain his status.

However, Campbell believes the WBC should proceed with their previous order. He feels his fight with Fortuna should still be for the world title - and says Haney would then get his mandatory crack at the winner.

“(Haney’s situation) shouldn’t make the slightest bit of difference. This fight has already been made and it’s already been chosen for the title so as soon as we go back to normal, nothing should change," Campbell told PA Sport.

“We’re still fighting for the title and then he has the right to fight the winner if he chooses to do that for his first fight back after an injury, that’s down to him and his team.

“This fight is made and it is still scheduled, it will have to be rescheduled for a date when we can fight but it’s a fight that’s already been scheduled before this happened. There’s nothing that should change that at all.”

[Ruthless-RKO]

Campbell sounds like a joke here.

Should be for the belt then Haney fight the winner?

Haney is the champ anywayn

Anyway to get a belt.

Should be Campbel vs. Fortuna - Winner gets a world title shot.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Sampson Lewkowicz Re-Signs Dominican Two-Time World Champion Javier Fortuna to a Long-Term Promotional Contract

Sampson Boxing proudly announces the re-signing of two-time former world champion Javier “El Abejon” Fortuna to a promotional contract.

From La Romana, Dominican Republic, Fortuna (35-2-1, 24 KOs), the former WBA Featherweight and Super Featherweight Champion, has fought under the Sampson Boxing banner from his pro debut and has gone on to have one of the greatest careers in history for a Dominican boxer.

The 31-year-old is currently the world’s #1 WBC lightweight contender and, upon the end of the pandemic’s halt of professional boxing, will next face England’s Luke Campbell, for the interim lightweight championship.

The winner of that match will go on to face current Regular Champion, Devin Haney.

“If I were to die and be born again, I would re-sign with Sampson to do it all over again,” said a happy Fortuna. “I will become the first three-division world champion soon and I have my promoter Sampson to thank for all the opportunities he got for me throughout my career.”

Lewkowicz, best known for having helped discover and bring Manny Pacquiao to the United States, currently handles two-time super middleweight world champion David “El Bandera Roja” Benavidez, 6’ 7” super welterweight contender Sebastian “The Towering Inferno” Fundora and unified WBA and IBF Welterweight Champion Jeison “Banana” Rosario, among others.

“I have been working with Javier Fortuna since his pro debut and he has always been a joy to work with him and his team,” said Lewkowicz. “Soon he will wear the championship belt in his third division and I couldn’t be happier or more proud of all his success. My fighters are like sons to me and I laugh and cry with them through the good times and the bad.”

[Ruthless-RKO]

Devin Haney vs. Luke Campbell Eyed For August or September

A clash between Devin Haney and Luke Campbell could be among the first fights staged in the United States by Matchroom after the coronavirus pandemic.

Eddie Hearn is eyeing up the match for Haney’s WBC lightweight title for one of his first behind-closed-doors shows in August or September.

Campbell had been due to face Javier Fortuna for the vacant WBC title in April, after the WBC had made Haney champion-in recess due to injury, before that show was scrapped by the US COVID-19 lockdown.

But the enforced lay-off caused led to the American demanding he be reinstated after declaring himself fit to fight. The WBC agreed and Campbell and Fortuna were matched for the interim world title, with the promise of a fight with Haney to the winner.

Now Hearn is looking at to give Campbell a straight shot at Haney as he pieces together the early stages of his Matchroom USA fights as part of DAZN’s late summer and fall schedule.

“Ideally I want to make Devin Haney against Ryan Garcia,” Hearn told BS.com. “I think that is a monstrous fight. But that might take a bit longer to be made, so if we can make Haney against Luke Campbell, that is a great fight.”

Hearn said that both Haney and Campbell had expressed an interest in facing each other.

“It’s a bit of a mess, really,” Hearn said. “Luke has been ordered to fight Javier Fortuna for the world title, now the interim world title, but because of the delay, Devin Haney is back and ready to go.

“I’d rather they fight each other. Luke seems up for it, Devin Haney seems up for it and that is a fight I will try and make for August or September.

“Luke is fit as a fiddle. He wants to go back in a big fight. Devin Haney will be one of the first guys back on the US side.”

Hearn is looking at Florida as a likely venue for Matchroom USA’s behind-closed-doors fights, which will likely commence at the start of August.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Fortuna's Promoter Will Not Allow Haney-Campbell Clash To Come Off

Sampson Lewkowicz, promoter for former champion Javier Fortuna, has made it clear that he will not allow a fight between Devin Haney and Luke Campbell to take place.

Last year, Haney became the 'champion in recess' after undergoing surgery for an injury.

The World Boxing Council would then order a fight between Fortuna and Campbell for the vacant WBC title - with Haney facing the winner.

Fortuna vs. Campbell was scheduled to happen in April - but the event was called off due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Soon after, Haney - who now was 100% healthy - filed a request to regain his world title status with the WBC.

The sanctioning body approved Haney's request and he was once again the full champion.

The WBC would then order Fortuna and Campbell to fight for the vacant WBC interim-title - with the winner facing Haney, who was given the option of making a voluntary defense.

Eddie Hearn, who promotes both Haney and Campbell, revealed to BS's Ron Lewis that he planned to match his two boxers on a date in August or September.

“It’s a bit of a mess, really,” Hearn said to BS.com. “Luke has been ordered to fight Javier Fortuna for the world title, now the interim world title, but because of the delay, Devin Haney is back and ready to go.

“I’d rather they fight each other. Luke seems up for it, Devin Haney seems up for it and that is a fight I will try and make for August or September. Luke is fit as a fiddle. He wants to go back in a big fight. Devin Haney will be one of the first guys back on the US side.”

Lewkowicz, who read Hearn's statements, intends to do everything possible to ensure his fighter is not side-stepped in the situation.

"There will be no fight between Devin Haney and Luke Campbell. Javier Fortuna is the number one contender under the WBC. There is an order from the WBC for Fortuna and Campbell to fight for the interim-title. They cannot just skip the number one contender. Haney can make a voluntary defense against anyone in the rankings, but not against Campbell, because he already agreed to fight Fortuna," Lewkowicz told BS.com.

[Coco]

Did Campbell make good money for the Lomo fight?
He is not far off 33, hopefully he can get some financial security