BOXER Nick Campbell has vowed to return to the ring bigger and better in 2023 in the wake of his shock defeat to Steve Robinson.
The former Jersey Reds rugby player controlled proceedings for the vast majority of the fight, before an inspired Robinson knocked the Islander to the canvas twice in the fourth round, leading to a stoppage.
Despite the bitter taste of defeat, Campbell refused to dwell on the duel.
‘Many better boxers than me have lost fights they should have won,’ he said.
‘I felt like I was in full control of the first three rounds. Credit to Steve, because he absorbed some big shots and managed to find a way back into the contest.
‘It’s what makes boxing the hardest sport there is. You switch off for a second and that can be all it takes.’
Many Sky Sports viewers thought the fight was stopped prematurely, with just three seconds left on the clock in the fourth round, but the Jersey-based fighter was reluctant to make any excuses.
‘I felt fine, to be honest. I do think I could have continued, especially with the bell seconds away,’ he said.
‘But the fact I asked the question of the referee was my fault and I’m not going to make excuses about that.
‘I need to be better in every aspect of my game and carry on improving. That’s the goal now. This will sting for a while, but many boxers better than me have suffered setbacks. It’s the nature of this sport.’
For the Glaswegian, it was somewhat of a baptism of fire.
The Scottish heavyweight champion was previously five wins from as many fights as a professional, stopping all of his opponents before rounds had expired.
The pair of knock-downs were the first of Campbell’s professional boxing career, but he has stressed that setbacks are part and parcel of sport.
‘You will always go through difficult moments in sport as well as life. It’s the nature of the beast,’ he added.
‘Nothing really changes after the loss. I am still heading back to the gym to improve and work out where to go from here.
‘The pathway and progression in boxing may look slightly different, but for me the most important thing is being 100% ready for my next opportunity in 2023.’
