Promoter and former world champion Barry McGuigan feels confident that Luke Campbell is fully capable of beating Vasyl Lomachenko for the vacant WBC lightweight crown.

A few days ago, the World Boxing Council ordered Lomachenko and Campbell to fight for the belt that was recently vacated by Mikey Garcia, who back in March moved up by two weight classes to fight welterweight champion Errol Spence.

McGuigan's son, Shane, is the head trainer for Campbell.

McGuigan admits that the announcement caught them off-guard, because Campbell was expecting to face Devin Haney or Zaur Abdullaev. 

Lomachenko is not ranked by the WBC, and already holds world titles under the WBA and  WBO.

Both Campbell and Lomachenko are Olympic gold medal winners.

"I was surprised by the announcement. I thought the WBC might have ordered him to fight Devin Haney or Zaur Abdullaev first. That’s what Shane and Luke were preparing for. But I can tell you he was thrilled by the development. It is a daunting prospect for any lightweight to go up against arguably the best pound-for-pound fighter on the planet, but this kid never thinks of losing," McGuigan told The Mirror.

"Apart from the split-decision defeat to the great Jorge Linares in 2017, Campbell has lost only once – to Yvan Mendy four years ago – a reverse he avenged in some style last September. Campbell, 31, has had two fights with Shane and that relationship is developing. He was devastating in his last outing in Philadelphia, in March, stopping Adrian Yung in the fifth. That showed what a terrific puncher he has become.

"I can see other improvements too. His game is to keep people on the end of that southpaw jab. He is now much more comfortable at middle to short distance, which he will need to be against the terrific all-rounder that Ukrainian Lomachenko is. Campbell will be a long outsider. He understands that, but isn’t fazed by reputations. He has not won a title yet but, in the last year, I’ve been so impressed with what I have seen. And that’s why I give Campbell a chance. So plenty of respect for Loma, but no fear."