The boxing world is short one gold medalist after Luke Campbell decided to call it quits on Friday. Campbell won his bantamweight gold medal in 2012 in front of family and friends in London.
The 33-year-old Campbell turned pro following the Olympics and says he accomplished more than imagined as a boxer.
Luke Campbell says a lot of thought and reflection happened before coming to a final decision. The former gold medalist says he concludes that “now is the time to hang up my gloves.”
Campbell was never able to win the world championship as a pro he coveted. Instead, he came up short in two gallant attempts to claim a lightweight title belt.
Luke Campbell challenged Jorge Linares for the lightweight championship of the world in 2017. Campbell survived an early knockdown but lost a hotly contested decision to Linares. It was only after the fight that fans learned Campbell lost his father days before the contest.
Campbell earned a second chance at a world championship two years after the loss to Linares. This time the opponent was pound for pound great Vasiliy Lomachenko. The WBO, WBA, and WBO titles were on the line for the fight.
Luke Campbell suffered a unanimous decision loss against Lomachenko. But many fans and critics gave him credit for a solid effort.
Luke Campbell´s final record as a professional stands at 20 wins against four losses with 16 knockouts. He thanks fans for the support shown to him throughout his career. He also assured them that he always “fought the best and never shied away from anyone.”
Campbell says it is time for him to devote more time to his family. He has fond memories of his father watching his greatest achievements. “I want to be able to do that for my children,” he explains.