Daddy’s boy: Hull boxer plans to crown Olympics by bringing home gold for son, two

BOXER Luke Campbell says he will be fighting for the chance to bring home a gold medal for his two-year-old son when he takes to the ring in the Olympic bantamweight final tonight.

The 24-year-old, from Hull, has the chance to crown a hugely successful 2012 Games for Yorkshire which has already seen the region’s athletes secure six golds. Campbell was one of Great Britain’s success stories yesterday as he comfortably defeated Japan’s Satoshi Shizino on points to set up a fight with Ireland’s John Joe Nevin. He said making his son proud would give him extra motivation tonight.

“He watches the boxing, he’s only two-years-old but he’s clever and he knows his daddy’s on TV,” said Campbell, adding: “I’ve been away for a long time, it’s difficult being away from home. But it will make it worthwhile if I can take a gold medal home to him.”

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Should he claim the title, Campbell will become the seventh Olympian from Yorkshire to win a gold medal. What started with Barnsley’s Ed Clancy last Friday gathered momentum on Super Saturday as Sheffield’s Jessica Ennis, Middlesbrough’s Katherine Copeland and Hebden’s Andrew Triggs Hodge all reigned supreme.

The city of Leeds then celebrated double gold as Alistair Brownlee won the triathlon while his brother Jonny picked up bronze and Nicola Adams became the first women’s Olympic boxing champion in history.

There was disappointment for another of Yorkshire’s gold medal hopes yesterday as Doncaster’s Sarah Stevenson suffered a surprise defeat in the taekwondo.

Stevenson, whose parents both died of cancer last year, said: “My mum and dad wanted me to be here, so I’m here and I know they’d be proud... I’m not a quitter.”