Callum Simpson recovered from two knockdowns in the opening three rounds to win the vacant European super-middleweight title by stopping Italy’s Ivan Zucco in 10.
The Englishman, 28, suffered a flash knockdown in the first and a heavier knockdown in the third, but on the occasion of another stadium fight at Oakwell Football Ground – the home of his hometown soccer club Barnsley – he proceeded to produce another impressive performance and record the finest victory of his career.
Zucco, 29, had arrived in England as an undefeated fighter, but he eventually succumbed to Simpson’s increasing pressure when being dropped three times in the 10th round before being stopped after two minutes and 28 seconds, therefore making Simpson Barnsley's first European champion.
Simpson’s 16,000 supporters were stunned into silence in the first round when the first punches Zucco landed, his southpaw right hook and left cross, dropped Simpson while he was square on. He responded with aggression and hurt Zucco and forced him backwards to the ropes, where he continued to attack him. Zucco was perhaps even hurt more than Simpson had been earlier in their dramatic opening round.
In the second Simpson succeeded with a long straight shot and continued to fight and attack with a similar intensity. He again kept the southpaw on the ropes, where a big uppercut found Zucco’s jaw.
During the third Simpson again kept Zucco under pressure, and trapped him in a corner. He was building momentum, but again moved square on, at which point Zucco’s powerful left hand found its target and dropped him again.
Again he made a quick recovery and sought to respond with aggression, and he started to make an impression again from the fourth when hurting Zucco with a left hook and a cross, before the Italian hurt him again.
In the sixth Zucco held the centre of the ring and threw with power in an attempt to resist Simpson's growing momentum, but Simpson forced him from there throughout the seventh and started to break him down.
The referee Jon Llona Fernandez had ruled a slip when Simpson appeared to knock Zucco down, but Simpson increasingly found both the Italian’s body and head.
Simpson’s growing confidence, and perhaps fatigue, contributed to him prioritising more powerful, single punches. He circled his opponent before moving into range to land, often via uppercuts or wide hooks around his guard.
A big left uppercut and follow-up punches finally dropped Zucco in the 10th round. When he returned to his feet another powerful uppercut dropped the Italian to his knees again.
When he admirably rose at eight, Simpson immediately resumed assaulting him. He again drove Zucco back to the canvas and, perhaps sensing that their fighter wanted to be rescued, the Italian’s corner pulled him out to huge cheers.
“I knew it would be a tough fight – I trained hard,” Simpson told Sky Sports. “I'll be a world champion by next year – those are the kinds of fights I need.
“I'm so proud to bring European nights to Barnsley.
“I got caught with a straight backhand, got dropped, got straight back up and my legs were fine. Got dropped again, but it was about not letting it faze me.
“We’re stepping up in levels; there are no easy fights. It would have been easy after getting knocked down twice in the first four rounds to give in, but I've got that Yorkshire grit. I was never going to give up.
“We did the British and Commonwealth last year, European [on Saturday night]; we'll bring a world title here next year.
“There is nobody doing what we're doing. We're a young mining town in Yorkshire. Look what we've done.”