“If you speak to any fighter, any boxer, all we ask for is activity and fight dates. That's all we want,” said super middleweight contender Callum Simpson, ahead of his third outing of the year.
The popular and often exciting Barnsley fighter is 17-0 (12 KOs) and has become one of the key stars in the Boxxer promotional stable. The British and Commonwealth champion meets Ivan Zucco for the European title back at Oakwell, home of his favorite soccer club, Barnsley FC, on Saturday night.
Zucco is a 21-0 Italian southpaw, and should present Simpson with challenges he has not had this year following emphatic wins over Steed Woodall and Elvis Ahorgah.
And it is activity that Simpson is enjoying in 2025, despite it being well-known that this is the last fight in the current deal between Boxxer and broadcaster Sky Sports.
“We [fighters] want a goal, we want something to look forward to, a bigger reason to [work],” Simpson told BoxingScene. “We all train, but you need that focus. When we train as hard as I do anyway, you need that focus, you need that goal there to keep you on the right track. And again, I need a reason to diet. I love my food. So if I’ve not got a fight day, I’m eating a lot.”
Simpson is easily likable and chatty. He only had three weeks off between his two fights this year. After a week of eating what he wanted after Woodall, his manager Kevin Maree asked him, “How’s your weight?”
Simpson said he had been training without saying how much he’d been eating.
“Do you want to fight in two weeks?” Maree went on.
“I didn’t ask who it was, where it was. I was like, ‘Yeah, of course, get me out.’ So I had to get back on the diet for the next two weeks.
“And yeah, I made the weight easy again.”
He’s had a few months off since. Simpson went on holiday, got engaged to Daniela, in St Lucia over Valentine’s, and ate.
“It’s weird because a lot of people either have, like, a sweet tooth or a savoury tooth,” Simpson smiled.
“I’m both. I’ll be honest. I’ll have some food and then I’ll have a dessert, then I’ll have some more savoury, then I’ll have some more dessert. And then I might mix the two, depending what mood I’m in. But yeah, anything, whether it’s like cookie dough, waffles, crepes, pancakes… I love ice cream, absolutely love ice cream. If you’ve got something, you’ve got some cake for me, I’ll take some cake, I’ll take some doughnuts. I’ll smash burger and chips.”
It is not always like that, of course. Through much of the year, Simpson is in camp and therefore being careful with his calories.
He doesn’t drink alcohol, hasn’t touched a drug in his life, never lit a cigarette, but food is his vice.
“Let me have my food,” he said.
For now, aged 28, the weight comes off easily, which is also how it goes on, but he writes his weight down each morning in camp and knows the markers he needs to hit to comfortably make 168lbs.
In fact, one of his weekly sessions sees him wear a 10kg weight vest for his workout, where he will hit the bag, shadowbox and complete a 10-round strength and conditioning circuit without taking the vest off.
Of course, it is only comparatively recently that Simpson has had the big double act behind him - significant promoter and giant TV platform.
The Boxxer-Sky Sports push is a significant one.
“Before I turned pro, just like, growing up, Sky Sports, it’s the biggest – I don’t know the figures and stats – but for me, it’s the biggest sports broadcaster in the UK.
“When you think of boxing, pay-per-view, you think Sky Sports. That’s what you think… your Sky Sports News, whether you’re watching football, boxing, sports, you think Sky Sports. I’ve grown up watching Kell Brook on Sky Sports… all your big fights are always on Sky Sports, that’s what it’s always been. So when I was looking to sign with a promoter, a broadcaster, Sky Sports were always the first one, and Boxxer were always the first on the list, and it was at first, mainly because of Sky Sports. It’s an absolute machine, and what they’ve done for me is amazing, both Boxxer and Sky. I’ve had seven fights with them, this is going to be my third time headlining, my hometown football stadium for the second time, British Commonwealth, WBO, WBA international titles, now on to the European.”
Simpson is also a team player. He makes a conscious effort to go to every Boxxer show to support his stablemates. In fact, since he signed with Boxxer, he has not missed one of their shows.
“I get to every single one. One, because I want to support the boxers and I want to support Boxxer, and two, I think you’ve got to keep yourself relevant… whether it’s someone seeing me on Sky, and they’re like, ‘Oh, that’s Callum Simpson there,’ or doing interviews and stuff like that, you’ve got to. I feel like the publicity and marketing is a massive part of boxing now, everyone knows that, so if it gets me a little 10-second spot on Sky, it’s alright, and even now doing a bit of commentary for Sky as well, it’s something that I really enjoy doing. I love doing interviews. I love speaking to people.”
Of course, fame is not always a positive. There have been times when, in public toilets, Simpson has heard: “Are you that Callum Simpson?”
“I’m just like, ‘Yeah mate, give me two minutes.’”
Even in St Lucia, doing a dance class with Daniela, he was recognized.
Activity is key for a fighter, but not just for what happens in the ring. It is important for their brand, to build a fanbase, and to stay in the public eye. Sure, it might have its pitfalls, including an awkward shake of the hand having used the toilet, but for the business of boxing, it is important to offer constant reminders at a time when many fighters spend too much time in the shadows or on the sidelines.