Don King Boxing: Campbell vs. Guzman Lands At Beau Rivage

Flashy boxer Nate “The Galaxxy Warrior” Campbell will make the first defense of his IBF, WBO and WBA Lightweight titles against undefeated two-division world champion Joan “Sycuan Warrior” Guzman on Saturday, September 13 at the Beau Rivage Theatre in Biloxi, Miss.

Campbell, 32-5-1 (25), from Jacksonville, FL., picked up his titles in a tremendous upset over previously undefeated unified lightweight champion Juan “Baby Bull” Diaz, outgunning and battering the previously unbeaten Diaz on March 8 in Cancun, Mexico. Campbell won the fight by split decision but clearly dominated his opponent.

An IBF Bantamweight championship will be on the card, with champion Joseph “King Kong” Agbeko, 25-1 (22), from Accra, Ghana, making his first defense against No. 1-ranked mandatory challenger William “Chirizo” Gonzalez, 21-2 (19), from Managua, Nicaragua.

A World Boxing Council featherweight championship elimination bout will also be showcased with No. 1-ranked Hector Velasquez (50-11-2, 35 KOs), from Tijuana, Mexico, against No. 2-ranked Elio “The Kid” Rojas (19-1, 13 KOs), from the Dominican Republic, now fighting out of Brooklyn, NY.

The winner becomes the WBC featherweight mandatory challenger, guaranteeing a title shot.

At age 36, Campbell finds himself in possession of three world titles and great interest from the likes of the never-before-beaten Guzman—already a champion at the 122- and 130-pound limits, who would like to take away what Campbell has recently won at the 135-pound limit.

Guzman (28-0, 17 KOs), from the Dominican Republic now residing in Brooklyn, N.Y., was scheduled to defend his WBO junior lightweight crown against Alex Arthur on May 3 in Arthur’s home country of Scotland.

When Arthur insisted on a later date, Guzman opted to move up to lightweight to challenge Campbell. (Guzman also previously held the WBO junior featherweight championship.)

The clash pits Campbell’s relentless and punishing style against the savvy, agile and rabbit-quick Guzman. Campbell is known for having some of the heaviest hands in the division, while Guzman is a defensive wizard who rarely gets hit and can also dish out serious punishment.

As if three world titles being on the line were not enough intrigue for one match, a personal rivalry has been brewing with a war of words between the two spilling into the press. The firestorm started after Guzman castigated Campbell after photos of his recent wedding began to appear on boxing Web sites.

“Everyone has seen the picture of Nate and his wife in their cute, white wedding outfits,” Guzman said. “I hope they’re enjoying their honeymoon because Nate’s honeymoon at the top of the lightweight division is going to end once he fights me.”

“I think he’s afraid of me. I’ll make Nate look so bad that he’ll retire after I wipe the floor with him. I guess I can understand why Nate doesn’t want to fight me. Twenty-eight boxers have tried to beat me and none of them came close to succeeding.”

The equally loquacious Campbell wasted little time in responding to Guzman.

“This clown (Guzman) reminds me of one of those yapping little rat dogs,” Campbell said. “[They] yip, yip, yip at your ankles.”

With pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao moving up in weight to dethrone David Diaz to claim the remaining major world championship at lightweight on June 28, both Campbell and Guzman would love nothing more than to emerge victorious in the hopes of possibly luring the “Pac Man” into a match to determine the undisputed lightweight champion.

“Nate Campbell is the rare boxer who can back up his talk,” promoter Don King said. “That’s why I love him. He comes straight at you, tells you what he’s going to do, and then he executes his game plan. He’s truly one of the most exciting fighters we have in boxing today, and Beau Rivage should be commended for stepping up to host one of the bigger fights of the year.”

Beau Rivage is delighted to bring such a big card to the Gulf Coast. “We are pleased to host this major boxing event in Biloxi and to be partnering with the legendary Don King, whose name is synonymous with championship boxing,” said George P. Corchis, Jr., president and chief operating officer of MGM Mirage’s Mississippi resorts, which includes Beau Rivage in Biloxi, and Gold Strike Casino Resort in Tunica.

“We look forward to having the Mississippi Gulf Coast serve as a backdrop for such an important fight where three world titles are on the line.”