"I'm going to let Golden Boy do their job and I'm going to do my job. Everything should work out fine from there. I'm at the point where I don't want to call guys out. When I called guys out, nobody came anyway, so if I don't call guys out, let's see if they fight anyway. When I had all the belts, nobody wanted to fight for them until I got stripped. I had three of the four belts and they wouldn't fight me....I'm just happy to be able to fight again. I still love boxing. I still love what I do and I still want to do it at the top level. If I didn't love boxing, I wouldn't do it," stated former lightweight champion Nate Campbell as he talked about his upcoming November 27th return to the ring against Walter Estrada, his future plans and much more. Check it out!
EB: How you doing man?
NC: Man, I cannot complain. 145 pounds, I am ready to go.
EB: So you are in good shape?
NC: I'm in tremendous shape.
EB: So you're fighting next weekend on the Marquez-Katsidis undercard. Let the fans know a little about that fight.
NC: November 27th. I'm going back towards lightweight. 138 pounds is where the fight is. I'm fighting Walter Estrada. He just KO'd [Verquan] Kimbrough; not sure how many rounds, 8 or 10, but I am ready to go. Whatever.
EB: You still working with John David Jackson?
NC: You know it.
EB: You sound like you feeling good.
NC: Oh yeah, I am. I'm in a good place right now. It's great.
EB: So what's the plan? You plan on staying active next year?
NC: Oh yeah. I wanted to fight 3 times this year, but my back wouldn't allow it, so yeah, I want to be very active next year.
EB: I know last time we spoke, you said you wanted to get back down to 135 because you felt you had some unfinished business.
NC: Oh, I know I do. Don't you think I do?
EB: I hated to see how you had to leave the division, missing weight and losing your titles on the scales.
NC: No one stopped to think about that. I was never one of those fighters who had missed weight, but nobody cared about that. My back was really messed up, but nobody cared. They say, "you make excuses," but I never made any excuses. There's never been a time in my life I made an excuse.
EB: I remember what you said after the Ali Funeka fight. You said, "I tried my best, but my body won't allow it."
NC: It wouldn't allow it and I couldn't tell guys I was fighting with a pinched nerve in my back. I actually didn't know it was a pinched nerve. I thought I had a sprained back, but I didn't want to say that and then have to go fight this guy. But I'm happy it's over.
EB: Is there anyone you are gunning for to fight?
NC: No, I'm going to let Golden Boy do their job and I'm going to do my job. Everything should work out fine from there. I'm at the point where I don't want to call guys out. When I called guys out, nobody came anyway, so if I don't call guys out, let's see if they fight anyway. When I had all the belts, nobody wanted to fight for them until I got stripped. I had three of the four belts and they wouldn't fight me.
EB: Yeah, and then you didn't leave on your terms.
NC: You know what though? I'm glad I am where I am. I'm happy. You know, it can't always be the way you want it. Everything happens for a reason. I'm happy I am in a different place in my life. I'm not perfect, but I am in a better place.
EB: There is nothing to say but I'm happy you found that peace.
NC: Man, I'm happy that Zab Judah said he found that peace.
EB: Anything you want to say to your fans?
NC: I'm just happy to be able to fight again. I still love boxing. I still love what I do and I still want to do it at the top level. If I didn't love boxing, I wouldn't do it. I want to say my one issue with people who call themselves boxing fans is they feel like they can say whatever they want about fighters online. I mean, you can be a tough guy over the internet and cell phone, but what they need to realize is what if they were face to face with these guys they be dogging on the internet? Would they say the same thing? So when people say things online, I refuse to go back and deal with them. I hate to say that about people because I love boxing. I wish more people would realize that, as we have grown as fighters, we sometimes have losses. But I have fought some of the best fighters in my era and sparred with guys better than they have had the privilege of meeting. Many of the guys they dog me over love me to death as a fighter, so I'm blessed to know I am living and have lived my dream up until this point. So I want to say to those haters on the website, think before you speak. If you make $10 million for a job you hate and I end up dead, broke and penniless, I did what I love. Even if I have to get a job cutting box tops off at Winn Dixie again, I've lived my dream up to this point. I thank God for blessing me for the ability to do what I do. I thank the fans that support me and I also thank the ones that hate on me. Because the ones that hate on me give me a reason to wake up and train real hard.
EB: Appreciate you taking time out of your training day to talk to me. Good luck with your fight.
NC: Thank you brother. I appreciate it.