Olympic hero Luke Campbell insists he can upset the odds in his showdown with Ukranian lightweight king Vasyl Lomachenko.
Campbell will go toe-to-toe with Lomachenko — the WBA and WBO champion who tops the prestigious Ring magazine's pound-for-pound ratings — at London’s O2 Arena on August 31.
Many observers feel Hull's Campbell has next to no chance of beating a man hailed as an all-time great, but he insisted: “After this fight, people will be asking other fighters why they’re taking me on.
“I have never wanted to take an easy route. I believe I am the best and want to be the best, so it doesn’t matter what route you take. I have worked every day of my life since I was a young lad to do this and I am in a position to win.
“We are the two best fighters in the division, so it is going to be an exciting fight. This is my time to show everybody how good I am.
“It doesn’t matter what people’s opinions are, because it is all about what happens in the ring. I want to compete at the highest level and this is one of those moments where you make it or you break it, but I believe in myself. Every champion was once a challenger.”
The 31-year-olds will clash seven years after they both won gold at the London Olympics.
Promoter Eddie Hearn, who made the deal to bring Lomachenko to the UK, added: “This is a massive event for British boxing and I believe it being in the UK gives Luke a better chance of winning.
“The UK is now THE hub for big fights. We are talking about the pound for pound best fighter against our greatest ever amateur and I believe Luke has the boxing IQ and ability to beat him.
“You can’t turn these opportunities down, or what are you in the sport for?
“He [Campbell] is in the prime of his career and now has a chance to make history and make himself the No.1 pound for pound fighter in the sport.”
Hearn pointed to Campbell’s experience of fighting for Olympic gold and previous bouts in front of tens of thousands of expectant fans being the perfect preparation.
But he warned: “He is up against a genius in Lomachenko and the educated British fight fans will understand this is a must-see event.
“We talk about Sugar Ray Leonard and other all-time greats, and he is in that class. So it is a unique occasion to see someone like him fighting here – and our guy has a chance to beat him.”
