By Sean Jones: Luke Campbell came up empty-handed in losing to American Ryan Garcia by a 7th round knockout on Saturday night at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas.
Ryan won but he failed to dominate Campbell the way that Vasily Lomachenko and Jorge Linares both did. They had an easier time against Campbell, and neither of them was knocked down.
Ryan ended up taking Campbell out with a textbook left to the body. The shot is the one that Canelo Alvarez had been working on with Ryan, and he used it to perfection in the second.
It came at a time in the fight where Ryan really needed a one-punch stoppage because his ship was beginning to flounder from the heavy shots he was getting hit with by the surprisingly powerful Campbell
It wasn’t the type of performance from Ryan that suggests that he’s ready to take on the big three: Gervonta Davis, Vasily Lomachenko, or Teofimo Lopez.
Ryan looked shaky throughout the contest tonight as if he’d fall apart if he were struck. He reminded me of an old car backfiring and about to sputter out as it’s going up a steep grade.
Ryan didn’t look like he was firing on all eight cylinders tonight, and the only reason he won is that his power bailed him out against a B-level fighter.
For Ryan’s fans on social media, they probably weren’t too happy seeing him get dropped by Campbell in the second round and repeatedly nailed with telegraphed lefts.
It was a failure on Campbell’s part that he didn’t go for the coup de grace after he’s badly hurt Garcia with a shot that most fighters wouldn’t have gotten up from.
Campbell hurt Ryan in the second
Although Campbell 20-4, 16 KOs) had Ryan (21-0, 18 KOs) down in the second round courtesy of a powerful left to the head, he couldn’t keep him down.
Despite losing the fight, Campbell created the blueprint in how to beat Ryan by mixing shots up from body to head.
Campbell was hitting Ryan with lefts to the body, and he had him lowering his guard. In the case of the knockdown, Campbell threw a lead left to the head, which he wasn’t ready for because he had his hands down protecting his midsection.
After the match was over, Ryan visited Campbell in his dressing room in a good sportsmanlike move. Campbell showed his appreciation by saying, “For a pretty boy, you can take a good shot.”
That was obviously a comment directed at the perception that was out there among some boxing fans that Ryan is just an Instagram model, and not a serious fighter.
In looking at the comments from boxing fans tonight on social media, many of them still view the 22-year-old ‘King’ Ryan as a product of hype, and they weren’t impressed with his win over Campbell.
The big 33-year-old southpaw Luke isn’t held in a high enough regard by the fans for Ryan to get the legitimacy that he so badly craves.
For Garcia to get that from the boxing world, he’ll neat to beat these top guys at 135:
- Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis
- Teofimo Lopez
- Vasyl Lomachenko
- Devin Haney
Campbell was a guy on the margins and not considered one of the cream of the crop lightweights. That’s why a lot of the boxing public wasn’t impressed with what they aw tonight.
Hearn expects Ryan to face Haney next
Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn now expects Ryan to take on WBA lightweight champion Devin Haney next. I guess Hearn didn’t see the post-fight interview of Ryan by DAZN. Ryan made it clear that he wants to fight
“What a great fight! Proud of Luke Campbell and big respect to
King Ryan Garcia – now the [WBC] mandatory challenger to Devin Haney,” said Eddie Hearn on social media with his reaction to Ryan Garcia’s win.“You just boxed a final eliminator to fight him..fight will now be ordered – great fight! @wbcmoro,” Hearn added.
“Decent performance @KingRyanG,” said Devin Haney. “Now you’re my mandatory lets make it happen!”
Well I’m honestly heart broken, 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 @KingRyanG, well done and a massive future ahead for him. I wish him all the best. pic.twitter.com/hCVvillSm2
— Luke Campbell MBE (@luke11campbell) January 3, 2021