Callum Simpson eyeing stadium fight against Liam Cameron or Padraig McCrory

On the heels of his most recent victory, Callum Simpson is considering his next steps.

Simpson, 16-0 (11 KOs), successfully defended his British super middleweight title on Saturday by stopping Steed Woodall inside two rounds.

Woodall, now 19-3-1 (12 KOs), looked to be a tough competitor after he stopped Lerrone Richards in six rounds last year, but Simpson made light work and dropped Woodall early in the second. Simpson followed up his attack moments later, and referee Mark Bates strangely intervened when it looked like Woodall was fine to continue. The stoppage came under criticism from pundits and fans, but Simpson is not letting it ruin his celebration.

“I’m absolutely ecstatic, to be honest with you,” Simpson told BoxingScene. “I said to my coach – I’ve been in the gym this morning – I said I feel like a fraud. I’ve had a 12- to 13-week training camp, made weight, carbed up, loads of energy, ate loads of food, but one and a half rounds, I feel like I’ve never done nothing. I feel like I never had a workout. The pads were harder than the fight.

“But yeah, you don’t get paid overtime in this game. I got the stoppage, great knockdown. For me, the referee robbed me of a highlight-reel stoppage, because that’s exactly what was going to happen. He was going to get knocked out. But yeah, we got the win and that’s all that matters.”

Simpson was fighting for the first time since losing his beloved younger sister Lily-Rae in an accident while she was on holiday with friends. Simpson wore his sister’s name on the back of his robe and on his hand wraps in memory of her. A lot was made pre-fight about the loss that Simpson and his family suffered, and Simpson believes this actually helped him deal with the grief of losing a loved one.

“I think it gave me a lot of strength in camp,” said Simpson. “Obviously, as well, having the fight, it gave me great focus. I think a lot of people when they go through grief, whether it’s a loss or anything they’re going through emotionally, mentally they bottle it up a lot. Whereas I think with me, I was doing interviews every day, speaking about Lily with media, press, and maybe that helped. I think that might have helped a lot, and obviously I love speaking about Lily. I love talking about her. But yeah, and obviously what better outlet is there than being able to punch someone else in the face. There’s no better outlet than that.”

Since the contest, Simpson has been vocal about revisiting a fight with fellow Yorkshireman, Liam Cameron. The pair were in negotiations for a bout at super middleweight before Cameron, 23-6-1 (10 KOs), faced light heavyweight prospect Ben Whittaker. 

Simpson believes now is the perfect time to revisit the fight after Cameron’s success against Whittaker in Saudi Arabia, where they had a controversial, injury-shortened technical draw in October.

“I’m in a great position now,” Simpson said. “Current British, Commonwealth, WBA continental, WBO intercontinental champion, ranked number one in the UK. Before the fight I was second with EBU, eighth for the WBA. Next month, when the new world rankings come out, I believe I’ll be ranked top 10 with at least three world governing bodies. So yeah, I’m in an amazing position now, so whether we stay at domestic level, defend the British, or we push on to European level, the world’s my oyster. We’ve got so many opportunities, so many different potential opponents, and I’ll fight anyone. 

“I mentioned Liam Cameron because he’s a Sheffield lad,” Simpson continued. “Both South Yorkshire; they’re 10 miles down the road. He’s coming off great momentum with his last fight. I am as well, and that fight is for anyone that’s local to Barnsley or Sheffield. They know how big that fight is – it’s absolutely massive. But yeah, that’s the only reason I’d fight him, because it would be a spectacle. It would be an event for South Yorkshire. But other than that, anyone else, I don’t care. I beat anyone, everyone in the top 10 in the UK. For me, Steed [Woodall] is above British-level. You saw what I did to him. No one’s seen how good I actually am. I’ve got so much more to give, so much more to show.”

Simpson also mentioned a potential fight against a former sparring partner, Padraig McCrory. The Irishman has competed at world level against Edgar Berlanga, and Simpson believes McCrory could be the perfect dance partner to sell out his beloved Oakwell Stadium.

“That’s another fight that I’d love,” Simpson said. “That I’d love just for maybe because it’s Ireland versus England. Pody [McCrory’s] a great guy. I get along really well with both the Conlan brothers [McCrory’s management]; they’re good people. That’d be a massive fight, massive stadium fight, and I know for a fact that he’ll bring a few thousand over. I love the Irish lot. That’d be great on a nice summer’s day in Barnsley there. That’d sell out straight away as well. That’d be massive.”