Luke Campbell Ready To Put on a Show in Pro Debut

Luke Campbell is ready to start his professional career this Saturday after using other avenues to work out how much boxing means to him.

The 25-year-old bantamweight will this weekend lace his gloves for the first time since beating John Joe Nevin to win Olympic Gold last August, but now he is not just a boxing name but a household one as well.

If his London exploits had not made him known in and out of the ring then his winning of ITV's 'Dancing on Ice' show certainly did, as the Hull man embarked on a highly-decorated and lengthy lap of honour after the Games.

There was never any suggestion he would abandon boxing in favour of another career, but as he finalised preparations for his professional debut against Andy Harris this weekend, he admitted he had come to realise how much his craft means to him.

"I have missed it and I realised that in my time off," he said.

"I realised what I want to do in life, where I want to go and what my true passion is. It is boxing. That was one big lesson I learnt after the Olympics."

British Olympic boxers tend to have one of two templates to follow; the Audley Harrison route and the Amir Khan one.

Harrison

took gold in Sydney 13 years ago and though he remains an active fighter, has been the subject of some derision for his inability to make the grade at the top level.

Khan, meanwhile, took silver in 2004 and has enjoyed a high-profile career littered with world titles and big-money bouts.

For Campbell, though, it is about forging a path of his own.

"I'm feeling good, I've been training hard for it and I'll be ready for action come Saturday," he said.

"It's been a long time coming, I've been off for a year and but am back in the sport I love. I'm quite good at this so it's nice to be back.

"This is where the journey starts now for me. You are always more nervous for your first fight but I'm ready for it and have prepared well."

Campbell will be supported by a stellar cast at Hull KR's MS3 Craven Park, with IBF welterweight hopeful Kell Brook making his long-awaited return from injury and best friend and fellow Olympian Anthony Ogogo also slated to fight.

Along with that lightweights Derry Matthews and Tommy Coyle will have their highly-anticipated domestic scrap for the vacant Commonwealth title.

With all that, and with Coyle also from Hull, a local community bred on a diet of rugby league and football are expected to turn out and lend feverish support for their two heroes, with Campbell in particular set for special attention.

Promoter Eddie Hearn has laid on an open-air show for Campbell in order to commemorate his big night and the fighter is sure the occasion will not disappoint.

"Eddie didn't believe the support I had in Hull so I had to bring him here and see some of the people who support me and back me," he said.

"He had to see that for himself before he lumbered in to putting an event on here.

"But this is boxing and to be the best, which I am working towards, you have to be able to handle everything and that involves fighting on big shows like this."