Luke Campbell Positive For Covid 19- Garcia Fight Postponed

The Coronavirus continues to flare up with larger positivity numbers in the U.S. and Europe, and now, it has affected the highly anticipated December 5th Lightweight contender showdown between England’s Luke Campbell and California’s unbeaten rising star, Ryan Garcia.

Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn reported the news on social media, that Campbell has been sidelined recently for Covid 19, his training schedule was stopped and they must seek a new date to fight Garcia,

Unfortunately @luke11campbell tested positive for Covid 19. He has completed isolation and resumes training shortly but will not be fit for Dec 5. We are working on a new date with @GoldenBoyBoxing and @DAZNBoxing and only anticipate a very short delay to this great fight.

— Eddie Hearn (@EddieHearn) November 10, 2020

The WBC had mandated the Garcia-Campbell fight back in early August, while the fighters and their promoters hashed out when and where to fight. They eventually settled on Saturday December 5th without fans at the Fantasy Springs Resort in Indio, CA.

Campbell, 20-3, 16 KOs. is a popular English fighter, who suffered a loss for the vacant WBC belt August 31st of 2019, via 12-round decision in London Lomachenko. He has not fought since.

The 22 year old Garcia is 20-0, 17 KOs, and has shown spoiled behavior at times This includes,  as recently as July, when he refused to cooperate with his own promoter Oscar De La Hoya. That’s, as Golden Boy Promotions wanted Garcia for the main event in what they had hoped would be their first fight card back post Covid-19 on July 4th.

However, Garcia refused the opponent list that De La Hoya had and for the money that he was being offered and was in “contract limbo” for about 90 days before the Campbell fight was made.

It was later reported that the makeup date for Campbell and Garcia could be as soon as December 19th, but that may be too ambitious,

Hearn tells @SInow that Campbell only needs a two week delay. That could put Campbell-Ryan Garcia as early as December 19th. Possible the fight could get pushed to early January, too.

— Chris Mannix (@SIChrisMannix) November 10, 2020

The hope is for the winner of Garcia-Campbell to get a shot either at the current WBC “World” Champ, American Devin Haney in the first part of 2021. The unbeaten American Haney was just victorious by 12 round decision last Saturday night over Yuriorkis Gamboa in his second title defense.

However, both Campbell or Garcia would love a shot at the newly crowned Undisputed 135 lb.  champ, New York’s unbeaten Teofimo Lopez who dominated Vasiliy Lomachenko in a decision win last month in Las Vegas.