EUROPEAN title challenger Callum Simpson insists that he is not a million miles away from world level, with a clash against Canelo Alvarez remaining at the forefront of his mind.
The fiercely supported 28-year-old will return to Oakwell Stadium, the home of Barnsley Football Club, to lock horns with Italy’s Ivan Zuccoon on June 7.
For his first stadium fight, a limited capacity crowd of 7,000 fans saw Simpson, 17-0 (12 KOs), claim the British and Commonwealth super-middleweight titles with a clinical unanimous decision victory over Zak Chelli.
But while that night last August delivered an electric and memorable atmosphere, the magnitude of his next assignment at Oakwell promises to be even greater.
This time around, more than 15,000 supporters are expected to be in attendance for the proud Yorkshireman’s first stab at securing the vacant EBU title.
Looking beyond European level, though, Simpson believes that a third stadium fight could be on the cards for the summer of 2026.
None other than pound-for-pound star Canelo, 62-2-2 (39 KOs), has been mentioned as a possible dance partner, with Simpson teasing that the lure of Oakwell could capture the Mexican’s imagination.
“I want to be fighting for a world title within my next six fights,” he told Boxing News.
“All I’m missing now is experience. I’m not saying that I’m ready for a world title now but, this time next year, I’ll be ready.
“We’ll get a world title eliminator early next year, then maybe a final eliminator. And then, if Canelo’s got the belts, we’ll get him to Oakwell at the end of summer [2026].”
Canelo, of course, already has two outings lined up for 2025, with the first of which arriving on May 3.
The super-middleweight king will look to reclaim his undisputed crown when he collides with IBF titlist William Scull in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, before entering a blockbuster matchup against Terence Crawford this September.
But regardless of whether Canelo does, in fact, make the trip over to Barnsley next year, Simpson nonetheless has his eyes set on world honours.
Yet still, the fact that he is even headlining stadium shows, without having reached world level just yet, is an achievement in itself.
“No one [has stadium fights] at British and European level,” Simpson added. “It’s crazy what we’re doing, but that’s just testament to the support I’ve got.
“People in Barnsley get behind me, they back me, and that’s why the show [on June 7] is called ‘One of Our Own,’ because the fans really get behind their own.”
