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 Campbell Stays Busy While Waiting For Casamayor
By Johnnie Whitehead
(November 25, 2002) Photo © Tom Casino
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The result was a forgone conclusion, even before junior lightweight contender Nate Campbell stepped through the ropes at Boardwalk Hall, for the 23rd time.
Renor Rojas (16-14-1, 7 KOs) would be nothing more than a shock absorber. Campbell went about his task with the ease of a merry high school janitor as he mopped up the four corners of the ring with the journeyman. He raked his flanks with right hands. Jabbed an egg-sized lump onto his skull. Realigned and bloodied an already rearranged nose with uppercuts.
Rojas didn't offer much back in terms of offense, and was constantly trying to duck for cover. He finally found it -- the canvas -- after an array of right hands zapped his will to continue.
"I wanted to work," says Campbell, in his dressing room after he scored a sixth-round stoppage of Rojas at 56 seconds. "I didn't get hit with much. I came right off the bat pounding him, letting him know, 'There aint going to be any sh_t tonight.'"
Next up for the brash, cocky 30 year old -- probably former world champion Joel Casamayor.
It's not a done deal yet, but HBO has been tuned in to Campbell (23-0, 21 KOs) since he destroyed Daniel Alicea in three rounds on the undercard of Oscar De La Hoya-Fernando Vargas. Xavier James, vice president at the network, says HBO would like to stage Casamayor-Campbell on the undercard of David Tua-Hasim Rahman, which will take place February or March. A venue has not been secured, but somewhere on the East Coast is preferred, with Atlantic City receiving strong consideration.
"I can stop Casamayor," says Campbell. "It's not personal. I like Joel. We can go to dinner afterward. They have something I want and desire."
Carl Moretti, vice president of Main Events' boxing operations, is surprised discussions with Casamayor's camp has gone so smoothly. "They obviously see something that we don't," says Moretti, as laid back as Campbell is wired after his performance on the Arturo Gatti-Micky Ward undercard Saturday night.
Luis DeCubas, who manages Casamayor (27-1, 17 KOs), confirmed that after his charge faces Yoni Vargas on a Dec. 20 ESPN2 card, Campbell is their next target.
"We'll fight him. Casamayor has always wanted to fight the best. HBO thinks he's a young up-and-coming guy and we want to give him an opportunity," says DeCubas, who suggests that's contrary to the route WBA/WBO champion Acelino Freitas has taken since defeating Casamayor via disputed decision earlier this year. "We were ready to fight Phillip Ndou but they were being unreasonable with us. He's never been on U.S. television, we fought on the undercard of Tyson-Lewis, the biggest selling fight of all time, and they want to split 50-50? I wouldn't be doing my job as a manager if I let Gary Shaw (Ndou's promoter) do that to Joel. But Joel is not afraid of a challenge."
Neither is Campbell. The Jacksonville, Fla., native who has been professional since 2000, complains he's not rated high enough by the sanctioning groups, can't get a title shot and that the media is too slow to give him the respect he deserves. Of course, if he gets a win against Casamayor and he'll have to find something else to gripe about. But he's looking beyond the Cuban.
Others on his hit list include Naseem Hamed, Marco Antonio Barrera, Erik Morales, Acelino Freitas and Ndou. His manager, Jim Waldrup, is amenable to all of them. Moretti also appears to be as cocksure as Campbell.
"Nate is a natural featherweight," Waldrup says. "Fighting Casamayor is a win-win situation."
Says Campbell: "There's not a 126- or 130-pounder in the world whose stronger than me. I hit hard enough to kill Naseem Hamed. Ask Daniel Alicea how hard I punch, and the droves of others before him.
"I saw Lemuel Nelson knock down Freitas with that right hand. He can't handle that punch, he won't handle mine. Our records are both outstanding. Look at the other guys' records in the rankings. I should be fighting for the title."
If Campbell is as good as he says he is, he certainly will be.
Contact Johnnie Whitehead at BoxingSoulChild@aol.com
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