CAMPBELL DELIVERS GOLD

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Yet another GB boxing team member showed the benefits of good coaching and conditioning when Luke Campbell, the young man from Hull, dug deep and in the final round landed a peach of a right hook on to the chin of the  highly experienced John Joe Nevin and the pride of Ireland, was on the floor and forced to take a standing count. This added to the determination and confidence of Luke that won for him the coveted Gold Medal in the male bantamweight, 56 kgs division against a non stop John Joe. It allowed the ringside judges verdict of 14-11 to be accepted by cheering London  fans who made-up the majority of the 10,000 delighted crowd.

Once again the Irish sports fans showed respected exemplary sporting conduct and accepted the defeat of their idol with their usual sporting good grace.

The last time the pair fought was in the  2011 world championships semi-final in Baku, Azerbaijan, when in a tense count-back the judges decided it was a12-all verdict.

Yesterday it appeared the two evenly matched boxers were heading for a repeat even points verdict when the Campbell right hand landed on the Nevin jaw.

John Joe was momentarily stunned, while Luke had a rush of adrenalin and the round waswon by the GB boxer with a score of 5 points to 3.

Luke landed scored with several well placed solid shots that won the round for him by a margin of 5-3.

Round two the points see-sawed in favour of John Joe and raised his game sufficiently in the second round to score 5 points to Luke’s 4.

As the bell sounded for the third and last round Luke had a one point lead but John Joe was now buzzing but Luke was up for the challenge and while it was touch and go, the feeling was that one special action punch could be the deciding factor, and it came from a tide-turning lightly elbow raised, long right hook from Luke and John Joe was slightly adrift sufficiently long enough to allow Luke raise the aggregate points total to14-11

"It's a dream come true," said the 24-year-old Campbell from Hull, England.

"My plan was simple: stay calm, stick to my boxing, keep things straight down the middle, no wild swings, and bring it home.

"I wasn't looking for a stoppage.

"He's a class fighter, he's very clever and he's strong, so I knew it'd be a very technical fight.

"I can't believe it. I've won. It's a day I've dreamed of for a long, long time. To be here and achieve that gold, I'm lost for words."

Luke said the huge support from the London crowd had given him an advantage over the Irish contingent that had travelled to support John Joe to swell crown in the arena to 10,000.

"The crowd were very inspirational, 10,000 people [almost]  shouting, “Campbell.' You can't describe the feeling."

"It's once-in-a-lifetime to be part of the Olympics and represent Great Britain," he added.

John Joe said, "I would have given my right arm for a bronze medal before the Games so this is a dream come true for me.” He advanced that hope with a Silver Medal.

"My mother has decided where the medal is going to go and it's going to go in her cupboard.

"Wherever I go from here I think I will have a good career, either pro or amateur.

"And whether pro or amateur I will always be competing for my country.

"You haven't seen the last of John Joe Nevin.

"I would love to box pro, but it's all about my future and what I will do after boxing as well."

We wish both Luke and John further success as they are both a credit to boxing. ~