HBO Boxing: Campbell Loses Lightweight Titles On Scale Ahead Of Tonight’s Clash With Ali Funeka

IBF, WBO and WBA lightweight champion Nate Campbell lost his titles on the scales at the official weigh in held yesterday at BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise, FL., failing to make the lightweight limit of 135 pounds ahead of his clash tonight with South Africa’s Ali Funeka.

Campbell weighed 138 pounds on his first try, and, by rule, was allowed to return to the scales two hours later but could only make 137.5 pounds.

His opponent, IBF No. 1-ranked mandatory challenger Funeka successfully weighed in at 133.5 pounds on his first try.

The match between Campbell and Funeka will go on as scheduled tonight at BankAtlantic Center and on HBO beginning at 10 p.m. ET/PT on a Boxing After Dark tripleheader.

Campbell cannot win his titles back due to the fact he was over the weight. Funeka, should he prevail, will win the IBF and WBO lightweight championships.

The bout has turned into a bad blood grudge match as Campbell has been upset over remarks made by the towering challenger and the action could turn into a fight of the year candidate between the high volume punching champion and the big punching South African.

The undercard features a highly anticipated WBC Super Welter title clash between champion Sergio Gabriel Martinez, 44-1-1 (24), and former Welterweight Champ Kermit Cintron, 30-2 (27).

Cintron will be making his 154 pound debut while Martinez is in the biggest bout of his career. Both men have only lost to Mexico’s Antonio Margarito during the careers.

Light middleweight terror Alfredo Angulo, 14-0 (11), meets fellow Mexican, welterweight Cosme Rivera, 31-11-2 (22), in a ten rounder after Ricardo Mayorga pulled out of the clash with Angulo just ten days from fight night.