Luke Campbell says loss to Ryan Garcia a bitter pill to swallow

Luke Campbell obviously didn’t have things go his way as he was stopped on a beautiful liver shot in his fight against Ryan Garcia. Campbell, who was fully confident that he would be able to beat Garcia, tells Sky Sports that he’s still feeling the pain from the loss as he considers himself a winner through and through.

“I’m hurting a little bit,” Campbell told Sky Sports. “Not physically, but mentally I’m hurting a little bit. It’s a real bitter pill to try and swallow.”

Campbell continues by saying he’s dedicated his life to winning and says it’s a sickening feeling when things don’t go your way. But despite some thinking Campbell has topped out and might not have much more reason to continue on fighting, Campbell says that thought hasn’t even entered his head as he’s just been trying to focus on enjoying his family.

But reflecting on his fight with Garcia, Campbell admits that he believed Garcia would fold once he started feeling his power, and was actually a bit surprised when Garcia stood tall and fought back with such ferocity.

“He surprised me. Once he felt my power, I thought he would want out,” said Campbell. I didn’t think he would want to stay in there, so that element surprised me. Obviously he was quick and he had power in both hands, but there was nothing there until that shot, which I’m devastated about.”

That said, Campbell credits Garcia for bouncing back from that early knockdown so quickly, saying that he planned to jump on Garcia and take advantage of the moment but that Garcia had recovered too quickly and was still sturdy once he got back to his feet.

Ultimately Campbell would get knocked out on that left hook to the body which completely immobilized him. In fact, Campbell says that he was still struggling to catch his breath even 40 seconds after the fight was over, saying that feeling was something he had never experienced before. Campbell makes no excuses for the loss, though, rather simply admitting that he got caught clean with a shot he didn’t see coming.