CALLUM Simpson was thrilled to get another win in front of his noisy following from Barnsley which he believes brings him closer to both fighting for the British title and headlining a show at Oakwell.
The 26-year-old super-middleweight from Barnsley registered a wide points victory over Mexican veteran Jose de Jesus Macias at York Hall in London on Saturday.
Simpson has now won all 13 of his professional fights while the latest victory gave him the WBA continental title, and a third win since signing with promoters BOXXER to fight on Sky.
He is now hoping to fight champion Jack Cullen for the British title later this year as well as headlining a show at Oakwell next summer.
Simpson told the Chronicle: “I am hoping to be out before the end of the year, hopefully for the British title.
“It all depends if BOXXER makes the fight with Jack Cullen or not.
“I want the British title fight this year but, if not, it could be a fight at Oakwell next summer and I will have a couple of other fights in the meantime.
“This win will get me a top 15 world rankings with the WBA.
“We will just keep on stepping up and there are big things to come.”
Hundreds of Simpson’s fans from Barnsley were in the famous arena for the fight.
He said: “There were loads of people from Barnsley there.
“A lot of the BOXXER and Sky staff said I drew the biggest crowd.
“You could hear them chanting ‘Yorkshire’, ‘you Reds’ and ‘Callum Simpson, he’s one of our own’.
“It was unreal for them to come all the way down to London and for me to walk out into that.
“It’s only the beginning. The following is getting bigger and bigger.”
Simpson is now hoping to show off his belt at Oakwell at either the home game against Shrewsbury Town on October 24 or Fleetwood Town four days later.
“They make a new belt for every fight and, because the fight was made on such short notice, there was no belt to present in the ring.
“Hopefully it will be delivered in the next few weeks so I can parade it around Oakwell.
“They have a couple of home games at the end of the month.”
Simpson won all ten rounds against Macias on each of the three judges’ scorecards.
He put his opponent down in the eighth round.
“I think I am the first person to ever win every round against him, even though his last three fights have been against top ten fighters in the world rankings.
“It was a great night’s work.
“We expected a tough fight and that’s exactly what I got.
“I was saying all week it would be a much more measured and mature performance and I delivered on that.
“I definitely achieved what I wanted from the fight.”
Simpson got hit with a strong right-hand shot in the opening seconds.
He said: “We were expecting that shot straight away so it was daft to get caught by it straight away.
“He caught me once or twice in the first round but, after that, my defence was tight and I didn’t get hit much.
“I kept my distance well and boxed really well.”
Most of Simpson’s fights have been early knock-outs but he says he will learn more from this points victory.
“It’s setting me up for fights in the future with the experience of it.
“He was a tough Mexican, moving forwards on the front foot.
“That fight will help me more in the future than all the other fights that only last a round or two.”
