SAFETY FIRST
Luke Campbell taken to hospital after Lomachenko defeat for precautionary tests
LUKE CAMPBELL has been taken to hospital after his defeat to Vasyl Lomachenko for precautionary tests.
Eddie Hearn confirmed Cool Hand was physically drained after going toe-to-toe with the lightweight who is considered to be the pound-for-pound best fighter on the planet.
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Campbell, 31, lost on points by unanimous decision at London's O2 arena.
Hearn said the tests were just following protocol and added: "He's fine, just having some checks."
Campbell was dropped in the eleventh from a sickening three-punch combo but somehow made it back to his feet and to the final bell before hearing the scores of 119-108, 119-108 and 118-109.
He seemed fine when speaking in the ring after the fight but did not go to the press conference afterwards.
Campbell was holding his own against Ukrainian Lomachenko until the fifth round, when the WBC, WBA and WBO lightweight champ came into his own.
The bell saved the baby-faced Englishman after Lomanchenko had smashed him with a huge left hand to the head and then peppered his ribs with spiteful digs.
There was barely any respite from the interval, the second the sixth started, Loma rammed a jab into Campbell’s nose that would have floored a lesser man.
And a three-punch combination with a minute of the stanza left had the crowd purring as Campbell was made to look increasingly out of his depth against a simply superior athlete.
Campbell’s courage was heroic, in round seven when it looked like a sweet left hook had Loma hurt, the little genius rallied from nowhere and mounted a venomous assault that the father of two somehow survived.
A vengeful barrage in the penultimate round had Campbell on the floor, the final blow another laser-like jab after two body shots.
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The Brit collapsed to the floor and took an eight count but courageously climbed to his feet and danced away to make the final session.
In the 12th round Campbell caught Loma with a low blow but it only encouraged the brilliant marksman as he almost finished him with another assault that Campbell only escaped by bowing down and almost scooping the little master up off his feet.
In truth, the bell was a welcome end to Campbell’s punishment.
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