CALLUM Simpson survived two knockdowns before claiming the vacant European super-middleweight title with a ruthless tenth-round stoppage victory over Ivan Zucco.
The pair squared off at Oakwell Stadium – home of Barnsley Football Club – in Yorkshire, England, where British and Commonwealth champion Simpson, 18-0 (13 KOs), added another strap to his collection.
A thrilling opening round saw Zucco, 21-1 (18 KOs), floor his man with a sharp left hand down the pipe, barely affording Simpson a moment to brace himself.
Nevertheless, the home fighter soon bounced back to his feet and, following a series of crushing right hands, was able to establish a degree of control.
As it happened, Simpson appeared to have his opponent hurt towards the end of that round, before landing a spearing uppercut in the following frame.
In response to the jolting shot, Zucco merely uttered a proud war cry, his body language, too, suggesting that the attacks had done little to derail his belief.
And despite an equally dominant display in the third round, Simpson was once again forced to climb off the canvas after getting clipped with another left hand.
In the rounds that followed, though, the Barnsley man was able to restore an element of stability and, in doing so, rebuild his momentum.
On more than one occasion, he seemed to come close to scoring a knockdown himself, but Zucco, to his credit, showcased a tremendous chin.
A double left-hook combination to the head and body then saw Simpson make some further inroads in the sixth round, only for his opponent to absorb the punishment with relative ease.
The away fighter then found a pocket of success on the seventh frame – unleashing a promising combination – before finding himself back on the receiving end of Simpson’s attacks at long-range.
Sure enough, the 28-year-old’s superior technical prowess and gas tank only became more apparent down the stretch, with a series of vicious right uppercuts leading to his first knockdown.
Two more knockdowns – both, once again, arriving from uppercuts – then came soon after, inspiring the referee to halt proceedings in the tenth round.
