Boxing

At 32, boxer feels clock's just starting

Nate Campbell says ignore a recent poor stretch; he's just coming into his own.

By JOHN C. COTEY
Published June 14, 2005

Nate Campbell does not sound like a 32-year-old fighter with three losses and a draw in his past seven fights.

He sounds like a guy who just started boxing, who feels the best is ahead of him with the kind of youthful enthusiasm rarely seen in boxing veterans.

Turns out, Campbell is both of these things.

His recent record suggests a fighter treading water and desperately hanging on for one last title shot, but the late-blooming Campbell says he has been reborn and is ready to enjoy his prime starting tonight, when he fights Francisco Lorenzo (20-3, 11 KOs) at the St. Petersburg Coliseum.

"I don't think I've come into my prime yet," said Campbell, who is 26-3-1 with 22 knockouts. "I've been a pro for only five years. I'm still learning. People haven't seen what I can do. This fight will be a good starting point."

Campbell's fight, scheduled for 10 rounds, highlights a seven-bout card at the Coliseum and will be televised by ESPN2. Though the fights start at 9 p.m., with Campbell set to go on at 10, the event will be delayed on ESPN2 and run from 10-midnight.

The exposure Campbell will receive is crucial for the Jacksonville native, who is trying to come back from two losses to Robbie Peden, the last in February for the IBF 130-pound championship.

Though the first loss was the one most remember - live on NBC, Campbell jutted his chin out and dared Peden to hit him; Peden obliged and knocked him out - the second was so galling to Campbell he asked for his release from his promoters at Main Events.

Campbell said though he doesn't want to sound bitter, he felt his promoters put him in a bad spot fighting an Australian on his home turf with a referee from the country as well. The stoppage came too soon, he contends.

When looking for someone new, Campbell, still rated No.8 by the IBF, turned to friends Terry Trekas and One Punch Productions to engineer his comeback.

"He felt kind of taken advantage of with (Lou) DiBella," Trekas said. "There were other guys trying to get him, like (Dan) Goossen and (Don) King, but my thinking was he knows I'm a straight guy, I'm an honest guy and we have a comfortable relationship."

Trekas said yes when ESPN called about hosting Tuesday Night Fights , even though he had three weeks to put the event together. He'll lose money but is counting on the exposure to help land Campbell future fights.

In August, Trekas said Campbell will fight a No.2 IBF eliminator, which could lead to a title shot by spring.

Campbell plans on rewarding Trekas tonight with a "slaughter" against Lorenzo, whose most notable fight was a loss to Juan Diaz in 2003. He also has something to prove to ESPN analyst Teddy Atlas, who Campbell said called him the underdog last week.

"I don't know what records he is reading," Campbell said. "But that kind of attitude, that brings out the tenacity in me."

[Last modified June 14, 2005, 01:25:21]