By Elliot Foster
Luke Campbell already has a return in his sights as he looks to get back to winning ways in the New Year.
The 2012 Olympic champion, 28, suffered his first loss as a professional last weekend, live on Sky Sports Box Office, and is targeting the first quarter of 2016 as the timeframe to learn from his mistakes and banish his disappointing defeat from memory.
Campbell, who slipped to 12-1 (10) after being beaten –– by split decision –– at the hands of French lightweight champion Yvan Mendy (33-4-1, 16 KOs) at the O2 Arena in London, is expecting to come back bigger and better after being “far from 100 [per cent].”
The former WBC International titlist, who was relieved of the aforementioned trinket in defeat to 30-year-old Mendy, said: “I dropped a close [decision] on a bad performance on Saturday night.
“I’m gutted, of course, but I didn’t get where I am today with my achievements [or] talent.
“I’m here through hard work and dedication [and] I’m [going to be] right back at it, out in February, chasing dreams.”
If ‘Cool Hand’ has earmarked February as a potential month for his next ring appearance, at present, there is only one card that has been confirmed and that is topped by the blockbuster super bantamweight unification showdown between IBF champion Carl Frampton and the WBA’s Super belt holder Scott Quigg on February 27 at Manchester Arena, which will again be aired on Sky’s pay-per-view format.
Elliot Foster is part of Boxing Scene's UK team. Follow him on Twitter @FreelanceFoz
