CALLUM Simpson looks to retain his British and Commonwealth super middleweight titles when he takes on domestic rival Steed Woodall this Saturday.
The pair will square off at a sold-out Park Community Arena in Sheffield, England, headlining Sky Sports and Boxxer’s first show of 2025.
Simpson, though, is no stranger to performing in front of several thousand Yorkshire fans. In fact, his last outing – staged at Oakwell Stadium, home of Barnsley Football Club – produced a pulsating atmosphere with around 7,000 supporters in attendance.
Aside from being a prolific ticket seller, the 28-year-old has established himself as one of the most promising British talents at 168 lbs, adopting a versatile style to remain unbeaten through 15 professional contests.
His performance at Oakwell saw him dethrone Zak Chelli in dominant fashion, utilising his front foot aggression and counterpunching prowess to claim a wide unanimous decision victory.
Prior to their matchup, Chelli was considered by many to be a marginal favourite, with the crafty operator having secured notable wins over the likes of Jack Cullen and Anthony Sims Jr.
But instead, Simpson proved that he was more than ready for the step up in levels, as he now looks to resume his terrific surge on the domestic scene.
Hoping to scupper his plans, meanwhile, is sturdy contender Woodall, who comes off a career-best performance to produce a stunning sixth-round stoppage victory over slick southpaw Lerrone Richards.
Before their one-sided contest, Richards was seemingly just a few wins away from emerging onto the world scene at super middleweight, but the relentless pressure from ‘The Stallion’ ultimately proved to be too much for the talented technician.
It is the remarkable engine of Woodall, after all, that has led to the majority of his success, with the 30-year-old always looking to set a hellacious pace – maintaining a high punch output – to outwork his opponents.
And so, should their fight go the distance, Simpson may be forced to overcome some difficult spells in order to emerge victorious.
That said, the superior boxing IQ of the Yorkshireman should ultimately prevail, with his tight defensive capabilities giving him the edge in what could be a fiercely contested battle.
