Ryan Garcia vs. Luke Campbell Rescheduled For January 2

Golden Boy Promotions and Matchroom Boxing each announced on Friday that an interim lightweight title bout between Ryan Garcia and Luke Campbell has been rescheduled for January 2, with a location to be determined.

These two were initially slated against one another for December 5 at Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, in Indio, California. That bout was scratched because Campbell contracted Covid-19 and needed time to recover.

We were thinking we may get to see them square off on December 19, but that date has been dismissed and we now get to see it on January 2.

Now we get to see them at the very beginning of 2021, at least we didn’t have to wait long. Often times when a fight is scrapped, we never end up getting to see it, or it happens way later on when neither are at their best anymore.

Garcia and Campbell will go to battle in the 12-round main event for the interim WBC Lightweight Championship, with the winner later facing WBC Lightweight Champion Devin Haney in a title-unification bout.

Campbell is ranked the No. 3 WBC lightweight contender in the world, and Garcia is ranked at No. 4.

Garcia comes into this fight with a record of 20-0, 17 of those victories coming via knockout. Campbell comes in with a record of 20-3, 16 of those victories coming via knockout.

Garcia is 6-0 in title fights thus far into his career, while Campbell has gone 5-3 in title fights thus far into his career.

Where Campbell has an edge is certainly in his experience. Though he’s only had three more fights than Garcia, and though he had less amateur appearances, he’s 13 years older than the young prodigy from Victorville, California.

He’s also fought the tougher competition. All three of his defeats are to fighters better than Garcia has faced, Yvan Mendy, Jorge Linares, and Vasyl Lomachenko.

Before turning professional, Campbell completed a 153-24 amateur record, having won the 2012 Olympics, as well as placing second in the 2011 World Championships.

Garcia went 215-15 as an amateur, having won 15 National Amateur Championships. He’s been perfect thus far into his young career, can he keep that momentum going at the start of 2021?

Who wins this interim lightweight title fight?