Home Boxing News Luke Campbell rejects underdog tag ahead of Vasyl Lomachenko bout

Luke Campbell rejects underdog tag ahead of Vasyl Lomachenko bout

Vasyl Lomachenko and Luke Campbell face off. Photo credit: Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Couldridge

World title challenger Luke Campbell 20-2 (16) believes the timing is right to spring the upset on Vasyl Lomachenko 13-1 (10) when the pair meet for the WBA, WBO and WBC lightweight titles at the O2 Arena in London on August 31.

“I’ve never shied away from a challenge This is a big challenge but these are the type of challenges that I train for every day and prepare for,” Campbell told Telegraph Sport.

“I believe it’s the two best lightweights in the division facing off and I think this fight brings everything to the table: boxing IQ, power, speed, agility.

“It has the making to be one of the great fights on these shores. I’m the challenger, he’s the champion, I respect everything he has achieved but I also believe that every champion was a challenger once, and I know I have what it takes to become a champion.

“It took me a while to get settled in the professional game, but this now feels like perfect timing.”

Lomachenko will be returning to London where he won Olympic gold in the lightweight division in 2012. Campbell won gold in the bantamweight division at the same Olympics.

“I’m happy to be in London again. I have great memories of winning the Olympic gold medal in London. The venue was full every day and the atmosphere was electric,” Lomachenko said to Telegraph Sport.

“I think this will be a very technical fight, and you have to love the British boxing fans because they are so passionate, emotional and noisy. I only have great memories of boxing here.

“I don’t want to talk too much. It might be the toughest fight of my career so far, maybe, because he has a height and reach advantage. Maybe it will be for me a big challenge, but I never think about it. I just do my job, train hard and then I come in the ring. I’m going to leave a winner, that’s all I know.”