On March 8, 2008 the once mighty “Baby Bull” Juan Diaz was dethroned by a hungry prizefighter by the name of Nate Campbell. There weren’t too many people out there who gave the local Floridian a chance to win this fight, but not only did Campbell win, he won emphatically. Campbell took Juan Diaz to school that night, and has not looked back since. The champ took a few minutes out of his busy scheduled to sit down with The Boxing Herald, and gave us a good update on the recent goings on.
BH ? Welcome to Boxing Herald champ, thanks for your time. What’s up?
NC ? Not much man, just finished up some dinner.
BH ? Well firstly I want to congratulate you on your marriage to that pretty young lady.
NC ? Thanks man, I appreciate that.
BH ? How’s it feel to be a married man?
NC ? Well it’s not the first time for me, but it feels great.
BH ? There are a few guys out there talking some smack about you. Let’s start with Juan Guzman……..
NC – …..(Cutting in)… It’s JOAN, not Juan… It’s JOAN.
BH ? (Laughs) OK, well what’s Joan’s deal?
NC ? I don’t know what’s wrong with Joan. He’s not my mandatory, he may be number one but that doesn’t mean he’s my mandatory. Joel Casamayor is my mandatory.
BH ? Last time we talked, you fired some shots at Oscar De La Hoya. What’s the latest with all of that?
NC ? Well were going to purse bid now on the 20th or something.
BH ? What kind of fight do you think you’re in for against Casamayor?
NC ? I will break him down, and bust him up. I will take my time and break him up.
BH ? Juan Diaz is a guy that comes forward and presses, and you cut through him like a buzz saw.
NC ? I have shown that I can box, and I have shown that I can fight. A lot of people think that I am a one trick pony. I have been working on my craft for years.
BH ? Do you respect anything about Casamayor’s game?
NC ? Well he does what he does. He does whatever it takes to make a fight happen. He’ll gore you, he’ll hit your elbow’s, whatever.
BH ? What’s the big payday fight for you?
NC ? Well I don’t really know what the biggest fight is money wise. I have been basically getting myself in a position to fight. I know Manny Pacquiao is coming up, and he’s a big dollar amount. But for me? I just want to fight. So I don’t think about the money so much as I think about the fight that I want to fight. I am going to make the most of what I can, and nobody is going to take advantage of me. I just want to fight.
BH ? That takes me by surprise that you answer that question that way. You’re a world champion now. I would think that a prospect would answer that question that way, but not a world champion.
NC – …..Well people want to see the best fights. I am going to make my money, but right now it’s not something that’s going to make or break me.
BH ? Touch on the Pacquiao fight. How do you see that fight coming out?
NC ? Well, I think that it’s going to be a good fight. Everybody thinks that Pacquiao is going to walk through this young man. I just don’t see that happening without a fight. I think Diaz is going to fight the best fight that he can fight. I don’t see Pacquiao just walking through Diaz.
BH ? Did you see Edner Cherry knockout Stevie Johnston?
NC ? I heard that, but let me tell you something. I beat Edner in the amateurs. Edner has to do what he has to do to get to where I would fight him. He needs to do a few more fights like that before it’s worth me fighting him. I have a lot of guys ahead of him that want to fight me.
BH ? What’s been the biggest change in your life since becoming world champion?
NC ? Everybody ….(pause) I feel like there are great things that I want to achieve. No major differences, I am Nate Campbell, prizefighter.
BH ? Do you have any closing thoughts for your fans?
NC ? I want to tell my fans thank you for standing by me and coming with me on this great journey.
