Ringside Report: Troy Williamson Shocks Callum Simpson in Leeds

Ringside Report: Troy Williamson Shocks Callum Simpson in Leeds

Not for the first time in his career, Troy Williamson defied the odds and once again proved what an incredibly hard man he is to beat. Williamson stopped the previously unbeaten Callum Simpson in Leeds. It was a fight that was won and lost by the tactics that they both employed.

Williamson ripped away the British, Commonwealth and European super-middleweight titles from Simpson at the First Direct Arena in Leeds, courtesy of a dramatic 10th-round stoppage. Simpson was down four times in that pivotal final round, as Williamson simply refused to be denied.

From ringside, it felt as though Simpson began to fade from the eighth round. He was noticeably shaking out his right hand, while Williamson was starting to gain the upper hand and looked the likelier winner from that point on. Although two of the scorecards at the time of the stoppage, inexplicably had Simpson well in front.

The fight was contested in a pulsating atmosphere, reminiscent of those famous Josh Warrington nights in the same arena. The action was back-and-forth, with both fighters enjoying moments of success.

At times, Simpson was far too frantic, attempting to overwhelm Williamson without getting sufficient reward for his efforts and, crucially, emptying his gas tank. As I wrote in my pre-fight preview, it was vital that Simpson conserved enough energy for the later rounds. Williamson is an incredibly difficult man to put away and was always likely to come on strong down the stretch — something he once again proved.

The opening five rounds were closely fought and could have gone any which way. Simpson then began to box with a little more composure, working more effectively behind his jab and making the fight a little easier for himself. But the Williamson right hand, continued to find a home on the face of Simpson. At times, he couldn’t miss with it.

However, signs of Simpson wilting emerged strongly in the eighth round, and the challenger enjoyed another good three minutes in the ninth. The reigning champion needed a big 10th round, and it initially started well for him. But when Williamson dropped him with a left hook, the contest turned into a battle for survival.

It brought back memories of Frazer Clarke’s difficult 11th round a few weeks earlier in Derby. Simpson showed immense bravery in trying to stay in the fight, but after visiting the canvas for the fourth time, the referee quite rightly waved it off at 2:21 of the round. In truth, the stoppage could have come sooner.

Williamson carried an air of confidence throughout the contest, as though he always believed he would eventually get his man. From a crisis point not so long ago, Williamson (22-4-1) is now enjoying an Indian summer in the latter stages of his career. At 34 years old, he proved he is far from finished.

It was a disappointing night for Simpson in front of his roaring 7,000 faithful, but the 29-year-old can come again. Boxxer will surely look to revisit the matchup. Simpson may yet reverse his first professional defeat, but the flaws exposed tonight will need to be ironed out. But the night belongs to Troy Williamson. He deserves his moment.

Photo Credit: Chris Dean/Boxxer