Unbeaten Ryan Garcia can win his first major championship in the first title fight of 2021. Garcia (20-0 with 17 knockouts) is only 22 years old, and he is seen as one of the future stars in the lighter weight classes. He will be taking on Luke Campbell (20-3 with 16 knockouts), who is hoping to finally claim a major belt after trying and failing twice in the last few years. This bout was originally supposed to take place on December 5, but it was pushed back after Campbell tested positive for COVID. Garcia and Campbell will headline DAZN’s first card of 2021. The main card will start at 3 p.m. ET with Garcia and Campbell expected to enter the ring around 6 p.m. ET.
When: Saturday, January 2, 2021
Where: American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas
Why: Interim WBC lightweight belt
Ryan Garcia vs Luke Campbell Betting Odds
Ryan Garcia -385
Luke Campbell +300
Garcia is a moderate favorite in this bout per the boxing betting odds. His unbeaten record speaks for itself, but he doesn’t have quite the same pedigree as Campbell. That’s why there aren’t longer odds on the underdog as those that bet on boxing know he has a legitimate chance to pick up the win here.
As the fight nears, there will be decision betting too. You will be able to bet on whether the fight is decided by KO, TKO, or decision, and you can bet on which boxer will win the fight in that fashion as well.
Ryan Garcia vs Luke Campbell Preview
Garcia turned pro south of the border just before his 18th birthday. He had a lot of success as an amateur, and that led to him signing with Oscar De La Hoya and Golden Boy Promotions. He had little trouble beating his first four opponents in Tijuana before returning to the United States after he turned 18.
We saw Garcia quickly establish himself in America with his first seven victories as an adult all coming within the first two rounds. That was capped off with a first-round knockout of Miguel Carrizoza within 30 seconds for the WBC-NABF junior super featherweight belt on September 2017.
He successfully defended that belt twice before claiming the WBC-NABF and WBO-NABO super featherweight titles with a unanimous decision victory over Jayson Velez on May 2018. Velez previously challenged for the IBF featherweight belt, so it was Garcia’s first truly impressive win. However, Garcia suffered a moderate setback four months later by settling for a majority decision victory over Carlos Morales.
That close call lit a spark under Ryan Garcia. He responded with a fifth-round KO of Braulio Rodriguez in December 2018, and he pounded Jose Lopez in a second-round TKO last Match. Garcia secured a first-round knockout in his last two fights, beating Romero Duno and Francisco Fonseca for three minor titles.
Campbell won gold as a bantamweight at the 2012 Summer Olympics. It was a historic win for the Englishman, leading to him being commemorated on a postage stamp since he was the first British boxer to win gold in that weight class since 1908.
He turned pro the following year, largely fighting in Hull. Campbell ran his record to 11-0 before getting a title fight in August 2015, and he defeated Tommy Coyle in the 10th round to claim the WBC International lightweight belt. Unfortunately, Campbell was unable to defend the strap, losing a split decision to Yvan Mendy in December 2015.
Following that loss, Campbell grabbed two other minor belts with wins over Gary Sykes and Argenis Mendez. He successfully defended those belts twice, eventually earning him a major title fight against Jorge Linares. Campbell lost a chance to take the WBA and The Ring lightweight belts from Linares by split decision.
The last fight Campbell was involved in was his worst defeat yet. He was unable to hang with unified lightweight champion Vasyl Lomachenko, losing a unanimous decision. Campbell hasn’t entered the ring since August of last year, and he could be a bit rusty after contracting COVID.
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