Two-time world title challenger Luke Campbell finds his way onto James Tennyson’s radar

Olympic gold medal winner and two-time world title challenger Luke Campbell [20(16)-4(1)] has found his way onto James Tennyson’s radar.

‘The Assassin’s’ big fight dreams appeared to be put on the backburner after his surprise defeat on Matchroom’s PPV card in the AO Arena last Saturday night.

Mexican Jovanni Straffon put a stop to talk of Tennyson [28(24)-4(4)] trading leather with any of the so-called lightweight Four Kings when he stopped the ever-entertaining puncher in the first round of their IBO title encounter.

However, manager Mark Dunlop believes there are still big fights in the Belfast fighters near future.

Indeed, after revealing ‘Tenny’ would move up to light-welterweight and 140lbs, Dunlop suggested he could be a comeback win away from the likes of Hull star Luke Campbell.

“It’s not like he’ll be a small light-welterweight. I’d like to see him get a comeback win and then go in with the likes of Luke Campbell or somebody like that. He’s at championship level now and he’s still ranked highly.

“It didn’t work out for him on Saturday night but I’m proud of him,” Dunlop told the Irish News.

Campbell would be a massive fight for Tennyson, the Hull native won Olympic gold by defeating John Joe Nevin and has shared the ring with the likes of Jorge Linares, Vasyl Lomachenko, and Ryan Garcia as a pro, challenging for the WBC, WBA  and WBO world titles along the way.

There are other light-welterweight options, that might be that easier to make. Lewis Ritson and Robbie Davies Jr are both relatively high profile names promoted by Matchroom at 140lbs. Davies himself was upset by a Mexican recently while Ritson holds a stoppage win over Paul Hyland Jr, Tennyson’s friend, and managerial stablemate.