To get him in shape, the Hull star stepped up to welterweight to concede 11lbs to Troy James but it never looked a problem as he stopped his opponent in the fifth of the six-rounder. Campbell looked a foot taller than his squat opponent, especially with his lead right hand wafting high above his head.
The Hull star targeted the body with straight lefts and a hopeful uppercut in the first and was rarely off target. Campbell stepped it up in the second, firing off violent shots unsuited to his still-innocent 30-year-old face.
James did his best to duck under Campbell’s spider-like arms and swing hooks but was usually swatted away by the towering ace.
Lightweight star Campbell was warned for low-blows in the second - but not punished - and it did nothing to deter his attacks as he dropped James with a left uppercut and right hook just before the bell.
The third was one-sided again but underdog James proved himself a hard man as he gamely gave Coolhand the workout he needed.
At the start of the fourth, James was dropped again with a right hook but the 34-year-old lasted another round to more than earn his money for a horrible night’s work.
And early in the fifth the fight was stopped with Campbell landing with too many unanswered shots.
Campbell said: "That was exactly what I needed. He needed to be a welterweight to take those shots.
"My No 1 fight is against Mendy, unfinished business with big stakes now. I need to clean my record."
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