By EDDIE DANIELS
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The California State Athletic Commission overturned the August 1 decision against Nate Campbell in his junior welterweight title fight against Timothy Bradley.

The fight, for Bradley’s WBO belt, ended via a technical knockout after Campbell suffered a cut above his left eye due to a clash of heads in the third round.

The fight ended between rounds three and four when Campbell complained he couldn’t see out of his left eye due to the cut. Moments later, referee David Mendoza awarded the victory to Bradley.

After arguments were heard from Campbell’s camp and Bradley’s camp Monday at the Junipero Serra State Building in Los Angeles, the commission voted 4-1 to call the fight a no contest.

“Oh man,” Campbell said, still reeling from the news of the overturned decision. “It was relief. It was total relief … the Bradley Camp started that, ‘You’re a quitter’ nonsense, so they could keep from fighting me again. [Bradley] was outside of the building saying the same thing, but behind his daddy protecting him. That lets me know that he’s a punk.

“I’m filled with joy now because for the first time I feel like something was done right and I’m happy about it.”

Following that fight, held in Bradley’s backyard in Rancho Mirage, Calif., Campbell, a Jacksonville native and former longtime Tampa resident, passionately argued his case to the viewers, the ringside doctor and Mendoza to no avail.

Replays of the clash confirmed the gash was caused by that butt. According to the rules, if a cut is not caused by a punch and the fighter cannot continue and it happens in the first four rounds, the fight should be ruled a no contest.

“I’ve got to give credit to the commission. They were very thorough,” said Terry Trekas, Campbell’s adviser. “Our side, Team Campbell, made our case and Team Bradley, his promoter had statements and they adjourned for a little while because they wanted to review some of the medical evidence and came back and rendered the decision.

“You never know in these situations whether you’re going to get a fair shake or not. To their credit, they gave us a fair shake. They applied the rules, plain and simple. So of course we were thrilled.”

Reporter Eddie Daniels can be reached at (813) 259-7066.