Here's an interview with Campbell regarding the fight.
BOXINGTALK
"Do you feel that based on the way the first three rounds went down, that since Timothy Bradley was in his hometown, that it's concievable to say that the first three rounds went to him?"
"No. From where I was sitting he wasn't ahead in the fight."
Greg Leon is a douche btw.
Boxing is rough business. And has fans with the shortest memories of any other sport I can think of. Rarely with you see an athlete go from a hero to a bum in a day. But yet, it happens alllll the time in boxing.
Nate made a calculated move based on the rules of the sport. He was cut due to a headbutt. It would as they often do, prove to be an edge for his opponent in the long haul. Before 4 rounds, it is a ND. Simple as. And frankly, whether he was behind or ahead shouldn't matter. It's irrelevant. Sure the flow maybe helped the decision, but again, irrelevant. Ref. goofed it and that is all, imo.
I don't think Campbell is bum at all; I'm still a big fan of his.
While I think the fight should have been a N/C, it appeared to me (and many others) that Campbell had no answers from Bradley and was looking for a way out. He should know boxing well enough that to quit without hearing a ruling on the butt was a recipe for disaster.
Furthermore, they way he has acted since the moment the fight ended has been somewhat classless and he deserves to take his lumps for it. This all reminds me of a more extreme version of the aftermath of the the Winky - Taylor fight in regards to the actions of the fighters.
This wasn't directed at you, or I would have quoted you. But you, and many others were on him for this, long before any interview ever came out. And have since used those interviews to further solidify the premise.
And while you say it was a recipe for disaster to quit without an official ruling, I suggest to continue was as well a recipe for disaster. A person has but seconds to decide when in there. When you have a severe cut that can only be exploited, and possibly limited vision, things aren't likely to improve. You've just been dealt a big disadvantage. Any fighter is going to go right after that cut from there on in. Take advantage of limited vision. He knows this. his corner knows this. Anyone who has ever stepped in a ring knows this...you see a weakness, you exploit it. The rules are there for a reason. Cut due to headbutt before the 4th, is a ND. As I stated, did flow of the fight factor in? Likely. But again, it is irrelevant. I don't blame him for the call, I think it was the correct call. And the ref. blew it.
If Nate was to win this fight, I expected it down the stretch. That possibility got severely hampered for him by the cut. I don't know or even think he processed all of that before deciding, but it did factor in. Once you go beyond the 4th, you've removed ALL possibility of a ND due to cut. And are fighting at a exploitable disadvantage...
Bradley is nothing, im ready for a decent fighter to bring him down to earth! His accuracy is really bad and he's way to wild with punches. He'll get knocked out soon, no doubt about it. I agree, the ref was a freakin idiot, he looked totally out of his element!
You missed out the next sentence "If somebody thinks he was, that's their opinion". I personally didn't think that Bradley did enough in the 2nd round, although I did think it looked like he would take the fight. He's been no more classless than Bradley. He says Bradley doesn't hit hard, well all of Bradley's opponents have said that. It's no worse than Bradley saying he's a slow, weak old man.
I'm sure this will be changed to a NC based on the Rahman-Toney precedent. The fact is anyone who gets in a ring knows the ref screwed that up badly, just as in the Khan-Barrera fight. A fighter who can't see should NOT fight, end of. Also I would like to point out again, that when asked if he wanted to keep fighting Campbell said yes. His actions might have said something else, but hell I thought Gatti looked like he wanted out of the fight against Mayweather, but on that occasion we focused on his words, him saying he wanted to continue. On a rematch though, as much as I think there should be one, if Bradley has better options, then he should take them. Like he said, he did his job, the ref didn't do his.
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