LUKE CAMPBELL has tested positive for coronavirus and been forced out of his fight with Ryan Garcia.
Hull’s 2012 Olympic golden boy and lightweight ace was due to fly to America to face the red-hot 22-year-old prospect on December 5.
Luke Campbell has been forced out of his fight with Ryan Garcia after testing positive for coronavirusCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
But he was left with another battle instead against Covid-19 as his Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn revealed the news.
He tweeted: “Unfortunately @luke11campbell tested positive for Covid 19. He has completed isolation and resumes training shortly but will not be fit for Dec 5.”
The spiteful showdown was supposed to finally launch DAZN in the UK.
The London-based streaming service was due to hold the bout in the middle of the West Coast afternoon so British fans could tune in at 11pm instead of the usual Sunday dawn.
And, unlike the Premier League clubs milking fans for £14.95-per-game, DAZN will roll out an introductory £1.99-a-month plan.
But Hearn insists the clash is just postponed instead of off completely.
He added: “We are working on a new date with @GoldenBoyBoxing and @DAZNBoxing and only anticipate a very short delay to this great fight.”
Campbell is believed to have now recovered and is out of isolation.
However, the fortnight off from training has hit his preparation hard and left him with no option but to withdraw from the bout.
Garcia is the latest Mexican-American ace to gain huge popularity – including 6.6m Instagram followers – through his Hollywood smile and teeth-smashing fists.
The wonderkid is already 20-0 – with 17 inside the distance – and has vowed to walk through Campbell, newly-crowned undisputed champ Teofimo Lopez and fellow sensation Devin Haney.
But Campbell has other ideas, saying: “Garcia has speed and power and a lot of social media fame. But he also looks like he could take a good beating.
“I still feel like a fresh up-and-comer but I am also ready to be the boogieman for these new kids on the block.
“I feel I am the toughest fight for all of these guys.”
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Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
