Callum Simpson stopped Steed Woodall to defend his British and Commonwealth super middleweight titles on an emotional night in Sheffield.
Simpson first took up boxing after the death of his sister, who passed away at the tragically young age of 19.
Lily-Rae Simpson’s name was emblazoned on her shorts and gown as she arrived for her entrance at the Canon Medical Arena.
Thousands of his supporters gathered around to throw the Barnsley man into the ring with deafening cheers, which reached an even louder climax when Simpson forced the finish.
Woodall was unfazed by the boos that greeted him at the first bell, and he tagged Simpson in the first round with arching right crosses, sharp jabs that showed just how dangerous he could be.
Woodall wanted to fight
The Birmingham rival found the shots early in the opening round.
But when Simpson did score, he caused a big cheer.
He fired his right and followed it up with a hard left, sinking his left hooks into Woodall’s body, viciously bending them inward.
Sending Woodall to the ropes, he rattled his head with a flurry of shots.
He trapped Woodall on the ropes and a fierce combination saw him batter his opponent to the canvas.
Simpson continued to tear at Woodall, though his opponent valiantly tried to fight back, but the referee intervened to end it at 1:56 of the second round.
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Callum Simpson has opened up about the tragic loss of his 19-year-old sister, who died on holiday just weeks after winning her last fight in Oakwell.
His sister was immediately on his mind when his victory was announced.
“I feel bittersweet,” she said Sky Sports. “I’ve won these titles in front of all my fans, but there’s one person everyone knows I’d love to be here, but I know he’s looking down on me and I know I’m making him proud.
“I brought my other siblings, mom, dad and stepmom to the ring to show that she’s not here, but she’s here in spirit. I still have a lot to be thankful for.”
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Simpson dedicated her win to her sister, who tragically died at age 19
Was it discontinued too soon?
Simpson himself did not consider the termination premature. “If he didn’t stop it then, we were going to stop it half a second later,” said the champion.
“It had to stop for me. At least Steed is fine and healthy.
“I knocked him down, he was still on shaky feet. Anyone who knows me knows he would go down again.
“The ref did his job and got him in. Obviously Steed is going to argue, but it’s a legal stoppage.
“It was only going one way.”
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The referee controversially jumped in the second round, giving Callum Simpson a TKO victory over Steed Woodall.
Sky Sports’ pundit Matthew McLean thought it was too soon. “He wasn’t on his feet,” McLean said.
“Even if he was going to go ahead and stop her, it wasn’t the right time to stop.
“I think Callum Simpson was going to go on and win the fight, probably by stoppage, but it shouldn’t have been stopped when it happened.”
The result, of course, stands, and now Simpson will want another stadium fight.
“What’s next? I’ve just had a quick chat with (Barnsley chief executive) John Flatman and he’s got permission to mix up the pitch in the summer,” he said.
“Okwell, we come to you again!”
