CALLUM Simpson was thrilled with how his history-making fight at Barnsley FC went this week and is now confident of selling the full stadium out next summer.
The 27-year-old beat Zak Chelli in front of 7,000 fans in Oakwell’s East Stand on Saturday night – winning the Londoner’s British and Commonwealth super-middleweight titles.
He gained a 15th win from as many professional fights by scores of 118-110, 118-110 and 117-111.
Simpson became the fifth man from the town to win a Lord Lonsdale belt after Charlie Hardcastle in 1917, Chris Saunders in 1995 then both Robbie Barrett and Josh Wale in 2017.
The atmosphere was crackling before during and after the fight.
He told the Chronicle: “I am immensely proud to be able to get people to rally behind me.
“So many people have been saying how proud they are to be from Barnsley. It’s amazing to make people feel like that.
“It doesn’t matter how good a boxer you are, you need support. Broadcasters and promoters need people to turn up and tune in for your fights.
“It adds a lot to my appeal that I have the people of Barnsley behind me and they make a lot of noise, and we have a venue like Oakwell.
“A lot of people there who have done a lot of these shows at big arenas said it was the best atmosphere they have ever been in for a fight.”
He added: “I visualised it for weeks and months.
“I am there all the time and I’ve been to other stadium fights that was exactly how I imagined it.
“I saw loads of familiar faces. I looked out to the crowd and it’s my old neighbour, my family, school-mates, people I see in Lidl. I feel like I know every single one of them.”
Simpson is now hoping to fight at Oakwell again next summer, but probably not for his next fight.
“I want to be back out towards the end of the year. Probably October, November or December.
“Then we are definitely looking at a fight at Oakwell next summer. It will probably be early summer. As long as I keep winning I don’t see why I can’t sell the whole ground out.
“We have proved that people will come out and support me, and that will only get better.
“The club, BOXXER and Sky are very confident about it.
“This was like a trial, we only did one stand because we didn’t know how it would go. It was the first time it’s been done.
“I want to win the British title outright with three defences but, if a chance for the European title comes up, I will go for that.”
Among the crowd were the majority of the Barnsley FC squad and head coach Darrell Clarke. Simpson is due to attend tonight’s game against Mansfield, spending time in the fanzone then being introduced to the crowd.
Simpson said: “The players came into the changing room after the fight.
“Barry Cotter rang me the other day and said they only had 24 ringside seats and were drawing it out the hat.
“He said: ‘if I don’t get drawn out can you sort me out with a ringside ticket for free? I said: ‘No you have to pay £180. I don’t get free tickets.’ But it was good see them and I will be back on Friday to support them.
“They were absolutely buzzing.
“They enjoyed it. They couldn’t believe the atmosphere. They said it was good to be in the stands because normally they are on the pitch. I think it got them excited for their season but I joked with them that I have set the bar how now so they have to deliver as well.
“Hopefully when I come back next summer for another fight they will be in the Championship.”
Simpson landed a heavy right-hand shot in the first round which left Chelli unsteady on his feet. He dominated that period before the fight settled down and he steadily clocked up points with more narrow round wins.
“I caught him with a good shot. Someone in the corner was getting me giddy.
“I wanted to fight at a high intensity from the start and I did rock him but he is a very very tough man and a good champion so he stuck it out.
“I had trained very hard and kept the pace the full way through.”
He added: “I am not happy with a lot of things I didn’t do right. I will enjoy winning it but I have a lot to work on. There is a lot more to come.”
The week building up to the fight saw good crowds at events in the town centre such as an open work-out and weigh-in after tickets for the fight sold out in days.
“Everything came together well – the weather, the support, the fight.
“Sky, BOXXER and the club made it happen then I delivered in the ring.
“The main two boxes I ticked were that I proved I can do a 12-round fight for the first time at a very very high pace, and that I can perform in that kind of occasion. A lot of people would buckle in that environment but I thrive.”
