Nathaniel Campbell (born March 7, 1972 in Jacksonville, Florida), more commonly known as Nate Campbell, is an American professional boxer in the Junior Welterweight division. He is a former unified WBA, IBF and WBO lightweight champion.
Prior to Nate Campbell turning professional he tried out for the United States Boxing 2000 Olympic team. During the trials, Campbell lost a controversial bout which eliminated him from being on the 2000 team. The match was a close one which could have easily been decided for or against him. After the match, Campbell told an insider "my amateur days are over, I can't support a family if I don't go professional."
Prior to his first match, Nate Campbell trained in Tallahassee, Florida with the Seminole Boxing Club in downtown Tallahassee. The Seminole Boxing Club was trained by Frank Jimenez.
Campbell turned professional in 2000 in Tallahassee and quickly stormed through his opponents. He won his first 23 bouts, setting up a bout with cagey veteran Joel Casamayor in 2003.
[edit]Super featherweight
Casamayor won a unanimous decision. Despite losing a unanimous decision against Casamayor, many commentators including the HBO commentators that night believed that Nate Campbell had fought a much closer match then what the scorecards indicated. Some commentators even stated that Nate Campbell had won that closely fought match.
After the loss Campbell slipped into obscurity after two losses to Robbie Peden and a loss to Francisco Lorenzo. The first match against Peden saw arguably one of the most bizarre endings in a boxing fight, when in the fifth round Campbell dropped his hands and stuck out his chin in a showboat, offering Peden to take a shot. Peden took the opportunity and knocked out Campbell with a huge left hook [1]. After these losses, many in the boxing world believed that Nate Campbell's boxing days were over.
[edit]Return to lightweight
Nonetheless, Campbell stormed back on the scene in 2005 with a big win over prospect Kid Diamond. In 2006 he lost to Isaac Hlatshwayo, but won an IBF title eliminator against Matt Zegan. Instead of a title shot, Campbell's next bout was another eliminator, which he won over Ricky Quiles. After knocking out Wilson Alcorro, his bout was a split decision victory over the formerly undefeated Juan Daz on March 8, 2008 to become the new IBF, WBA, and WBO unified World Lightweight Champion. Nate Campbell was the underdog coming into the fight against Juan Daz. Juan Daz was considered too strong and too technically sound against the likes of Campbell. Nate Campbell surprised the boxing world by controlling the tempo of the fight. The first 7 rounds were heavily contested but from the 8th round afterwards, Campbell completely controlled the fight as Diaz's eyes began swelling.
Campbell's first defense of his recently won WBA, WBO and IBF titles was to be against Joan Guzmn who just moved up from the Super Featherweight division. The fight was to take place at the Beau Rivage Resort & Casino, Mississippi, United States on September 13, 2008. But because Guzman weighed in more than 3 pounds above the weight limit, Campbell's titles weren't staked. Unfortunately, due to Guzman being dehydrated after trying to make the weight, the Guzman camp backed out and the fight was cancelled.
Nate Campbell has become a much smarter fighter since entering the professional boxing world in 2000. In his early bouts, his speed and power would carry the day. Additionally he had a tendency to showboat against undermatched opponents. During the last 2 years he has shown a veteran side similar to Bernard Hopkins boxing style. Although he has aged some, he still has great hand speed and his footwork is also highly admired.
Nate Campbell is currently managed by Don King. Don King is a controversial manager who has managed hundreds of fighters but whom boxing outsiders have considered a dubious character in the boxing world.
On January 10, 2009, Campbell vacated his WBA lightweight title because of concerns regarding sanctioning fees and proposed mandatory defenses.[2]
Just as Guzman had trouble making weight, Campbell experienced a similar problem as he was supposed to defend his IBF and WBO lightweight crowns against Ali Funeka on February 14, 2009. On weigh-in however, Campbell was more than 2 pounds over the weight limit. As a result, he was removed of both titles.[3] The fight still went on as scheduled, Funeka could have claimed the IBF and WBO titles with a victory. However, Campbell won a majority decision by the scores of 114-112, 115-111, and 113-113. Despite the win, Campbell was ineligible to regain the titles, which are now vacant. Campbell stated that he will be moving up to the 140 pound junior welterweight division after the bout.[4][5]
[edit]Light welterweight
On August 1, 2009, Campbell took on 140 lbs. titlist Timothy Bradley. The Jacksonville native moved up to the light welterweight division after he failed to make the lightweight limit in his last fight agains Ali Funeka. The WBO light welterweight title was at stake. The bout was held at the Agua Caliente Casino in Rancho Mirage, California.
The fight with Bradley only lasted three rounds after Campbell chose not to continue when a cut formed over and behind his left eye. Bradley was award the TKO victory.[6] However, a replay showed that the cut was caused by an accidental clash of heads, and should thus be ruled a no decision. Since then, the decision has been overruled to a No Contest after review by the California State Athletic Commission.
Campbell is scheduled to fight Victor Ortz on May 15, 2010 at the Madison Square Garden in New York.
