No matter how many belts Nate Campbell wins, he just wasn't meant to be a superstar.
Despite holding three of the four major titles in the lightweight division, Nate Campbell was never one to command much attention and Saturday night was no different. He always had to fight his way to the top the hard way and work through difficult times.
When he stepped on the scales at the weigh-in Friday, his story of tough luck and hard breaks continued. He was three pounds over the weight limit, meaning he would be stripped of all his titles.
Campbell had plans to move up the 140-pound division after the fight, but losing titles and a loss in the fight would have meant the end of the career for the 36-year-old who worked tirelessly to win the titles after a huge upset over "Baby Bull" Juan Diaz last summer.
Campbell was never groomed to be a champion such as Roy Jones Jr. or Miguel Cotto, so a loss would end his chance to secure big money fights. Losing his titles by not making weight already hurt, but Campbell said at 36 years old his body just wasn't able to make the cut anymore.
Just a few months earlier he was scheduled to fight Joan Guzman for $400,000, but Guzman had to pull out of the fight and Campbell was left again with nowhere to go. Saturday was Campbell's first fight since beating Diaz and he had to take on Ali Funeka.
Funeka is a giant at 6 feet, 1 inch tall — a four inch difference compared to the 5-foot-7 Campbell. The South African brought a story of his own to the ring. Despite being 30-1-2 with 25 knockouts, he could hardly get noticed in his own country, which has always been a hotbed for boxing prospects.
He finally had his chance Saturday and he showed why he has compiled 30 wins. He was knocked down with a violent right hand in the second round, but bounced back and used great technique and strategy to win rounds three through nine.
On one hand, Campbell was about to see everything he worked for slip away in his first ever defense, and on the other, Funeka was about to open the door for a better life. After taking poundings in 30 fights for small purses, he was about to get a payday that could support his family.
But then the momentum started to slowly shift in the 10th round. Funeka was not throwing as many punches and Campbell was finding his way inside and throwing punishing blows to the body.
In the 11th round, Campbell was in control again and knocked down Funeka once more. Campbell went on to dominate the 12th round and win the fight via majority decision. He only won because of his two knockdowns as he was out boxed for a majority of the match.
Funeka knew it too. He fell to his knees in his corner, put his head down and cried. He completely broke down and wept because he knew this was the match that could have taken him from a man struggling in South Africa to a man making championship money.
Campbell raised his hands in the air and was lifted up by his corner men because everything he worked for was still in tact. For at least one more fight, he would be able to attract a big payday against a top opponent.
It took nine years for Campbell to become a champion and more than 10 years for Funeka to get his shot. Funeka went back to South Africa with his dreams of big paydays dashed. Campbell stayed in Florida ready for a run to become champion at 140.
It was an intensely emotional night for both men and it was a story they told with their punches, their willingness to pick themselves up off the mat and their tears.
But it was not on pay-per-view and it wasn't in a big arena. A holder of three world titles was fighting on HBO's Boxing After Dark.
Campbell and Funeka proved they have the heart and desire of a champion, but because they were not groomed to be at the top and they are not hyped by big-shot promoters...
Well...they are not even paper's champion.
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