Mexican Fighter Campos Fails 2 Neurological Exams

Undefeated Mexican welterweight sensation Yory (Boy) Campos, scheduled to make his California debut in the main event at the Country Club in Reseda tonight, failed two neurological examinations this week and will not be allowed to fight.

Campos, 26, is 40-0 with 37 knockouts and is among three finalists for Mexico’s fighter-of-the-year award. His manager, Miguel Mayen, was shocked when apprised of the California Athletic Commission’s decision Friday.

“I can’t believe it,” Mayen said. “This kid has no problems like that. He is a very bright kid.”

Campos, from the remote town of Navojoa in the state of Sonora, failed the first examination Tuesday and again Thursday in a more thorough exam, the commission said. The written and oral exams, much of them dealing with memory, are designed to test fighters for signs of brain damage. Critics, however, have said that the test has cultural obstacles.

“This kid is from the country, the farms,” Mayen said. “He has never had such tests. He was so nervous just being in the room with the doctors he could hardly speak.

“He is not a dumb kid. He has no brain damage. He just wasn’t able to understand what they wanted him to do. He speaks no English and the doctor spoke no Spanish.”

An interpreter was present during some, but not all, of the examination, according to Mayen.

Campos was to fight Julian Samaha of Tijuana in the 10-round main event at the Country Club.

Still on the card is a scheduled 10-round super lightweight bout between Hector Lopez (20-1) of Glendale, the 1984 Olympic silver medalist for Mexico, and Andres Sandoval (40-10-1) of Ensenada. Lopez, fighting for the second time since serving 2 1/2 years in prison on an assault conviction, was considered one of the best lightweight prospects in the world before his incarceration.

Also scheduled is an eight-round middleweight bout between Joey DeGrandis (11-2) of Sherman Oaks and John Armijo (11-2-1) of Huntington Beach.

The card begins at 7:30 p.m.