By Scoop Malinowski

After conquering Juan Diaz, Nate Campbell was on top of the world. He became the new, undisputed WBA/WBO/IBF Lightweight champion. Finally, after a long career filled with ups and downs, finally 36-year-old Nate was the boss of the 135-lb. division, all roads came to Campbell. But, since crushing Diaz, Campbell has not had a fight. Joan Guzman curiously pulled out the day of the fight earlier this month having failed to make weight. Since then, Nate dropped Don King as his promoter. Still, Nate has not yet been able to re-schedule another title defense.

For an American boxer to win the world title in the exciting fashion that Campbell did - and then to not be able to land fights since - something very strange could be at play. Could there be a semi-conspiracy and Campbell could be semi-blackballed for outspoken comments about the powers-that-be made earlier this year? Let’s hope not. Because there aren’t many more likeable boxers than Nate Campbell, if you meet him. There aren’t many boxers who had a more adverse climb to the top yet still made it, against all odds. Come on, who didn’t count Nate as finished after the Peden fight?

It would be an absolute disgrace if some of the powers-that-be are conspiring to now screw Campbell, a true fighter, a true champion who made it to the top the old-fashioned way (he earned it). It would be an absolute horrific injustice if Joan Guzman had an ulterior incentive to not be able to make weight in his first fight at 135. Please, if it’s semi-true, can we not forgive? Can we not be vindictive? Please, can we give this man his just due. He earned it.

Nate Campbell spoke with us on Tuesday morning about what’s going on, Pac vs. Oscar, and his very high regard and some inside info on ‘The Punisher’…

Boxinginsider: What’s next Nate?

Nate Campbell: Nothing yet. Probably something around Christmas. We’re not sure yet.

Boxinginsider: Do you feel you have become a similar type of figure in boxing as Bernard Hopkins?

Nate Campbell: Hopkins is not an in your face type of fighter. I fight in your face. Hopkins is rough and tumble kind of guy. But he doesn’t fight like me.

Boxinginsider: No, I mean your honesty and candor in dealing with the media is similar to Hopkins who was basically frozen out of the big money fights for so long, though he deserved it much sooner than he eventually got it. You are a People’s champ like him. As evidenced by the love you get on boxing message boards. They love your tell it like it is-ness. They love what you bring. But parts of the establishment might be afraid of you.

Nate Campbell: Here’s the thing about it. I don’t know where I’ll land promoter-wise. But where ever I land I’m gonna be honest. I’m gonna fight the way I’ve been fighting. That’s all I want to do.

Boxinginsider: Any names? Anybody knockin’ on the door?

Nate Campbell: Everybody’s knockin’. But no decision has been made. We’re just doing what we’re doing. We really can’t do much when you’re hangin’ and bird watching.

Boxinginsider: Who would you like to fight most of all for your next fight?

Nate Campbell: Who would I like to fight most of all next fight…well I don’t know. Juan Manuel Marquez. Juan Diaz. Manny Pacquiao. I think they’re the very best fighters out there. I think I deserve to fight the very best fighters out there. And if those can’t be made, we’ll do mandatories (Ali Funeka, Paulus Moses, Guzman). I’m just gonna fight everybody.

Boxinginsider: Do you think Pacquiao has a chance against De La Hoya?

Nate Campbell: He has a chance in hell. I mean, to me, he has about as much chance of winning that fight with Oscar as Guzman has of getting a fight with me next year.

Boxinginsider: I hear you.

Nate Campbell: Slim to none and Slim is out of town [laughter].

Boxinginsider: How about Klitschko vs. Peter, does that interest you? Who wins?

Nate Campbell: I pretty much don’t care. The selfish side of me, and this is totally off the record [reply deleted - it sure was unexpectedly interesting too.]

Boxinginsider: Paul Williams. What do you think of The Punisher who really looks to be something very, very special in the current boxing scene.

Nate Campbell: Let me tell you something. I’ve been with Paul Williams since he was first coming up. Since he was like a club fighter. We were club fighters together. I think a lot of Paul Williams.

Boxinginsider: He’s amazing. He is something unlike anything we’ve ever seen in the sport.

Nate Campbell: Paul - I’ve been telling people - Paul is a bigger puncher the higher he goes up in weight. He’s going to be a bigger puncher the higher he goes up in weight.

Boxinginsider: He could become one of the all-time greats.

Nate Campbell: He is gonna be that good. I’ve seen Paul knock guys out at 175. And 168.

Boxinginsider: Wow.

Nate Campbell: Yeah, with one shot. Ping.

Boxinginsider: Can he make 147 again though?

Nate Campbell: You know what? Depends on if that’s what they want him to do.

Boxinginsider: You know him personally. What can you tell boxing fans about him who aren’t yet quite familiar with him?

Nate Campbell: He’s a good person. I like him. He’s quiet. He’s learned to be more open as he’s getting more confidence in himself. But he’s a good person. He’s a genuinely good guy.

Boxinginsider: Interviewing him twice, I like how he’s very humble for a fighter that is so talented and successful.

Nate Campbell: Very humble, very humble. I mean, I talk trash. But Paul doesn’t talk trash. I think people (are drawn) to me, because they hate me so much they either love me or they hate me. Either way, that’s the way I feel.

Boxinginsider: Well we love you at Boxinginsider.com, ever since our first interview in ‘02.

Nate Campbell: Aw thanks Scoop, thanks I appreciate it. Hey, check this out: I’m gonna tell you the one thing I like that are writers. Lots of the guys who are writers don’t put their personal business into this thing. But the one guy at the very little web site Boxingconfidential - I was on it a few times - I said I’d never go on your web site again, you don’t have to worry about me coming in and doing interviews. He had me barred, banned, all of that. All he does is just go around trying to goad guys into being upset with him. He’s ignorant. He’s ignorant. He did a bad article about me yesterday or the day before…(Remainder of interview is off-the-record!)

Come on boxing brothers in the fistic fraternity, Nate Campbell deserves more respect. He deserves the payday, he earned the big fight, on the big television network. Nate has personality, color and charisma. He’s real genuine champion boxer who made it by trial and error, and more trial and error, he’s not a manufactured project hyped up by connections or set-up fights against powder puffs. Win, lose or draw, may the best man win. Let’s see Nate ‘The People’s Champion’ on the big networks soon. He deserves to be there as much as anyone. And more than some of the others.