Troy Williamson vs. Callum Simpson: Big Fight Preview & Prediction
Boxxer will launch their DAZN working relationship with a much-anticipated rematch on Saturday night at the Leeds Direct Arena. Troy Williamson (22-4-1) will look to replicate what he did last December at the very same venue. Callum Simpson (18-1) will hope he can reverse what happened to him and get his career back on track. A night when he suffered his first professional defeat and one that cost him his British, Commonwealth, and European super-middleweight titles.
Williamson has been more than vocal about the long delay for the rematch to get a firm date. Opportunities have been lost; he had to surrender his European title as a result. The contractual immediate rematch clause meant he couldn’t fight anyone else, and the 34-year-old had to sit it out until the Barnsley man declared he was ready. The frustrations for Williamson are obvious.
Simpson reflected and made changes to his inner circle. Rob McCracken is now the man in the corner. There is every chance that could be a masterstroke of a decision. Simpson is backed by his incredibly vocal faithful, and I’ve always thought he fights too much for them. The game plan somewhat goes out the window, and Simpson lets the emotions get the better of him. The need to entertain and to please his travelling support has got in the way of just thinking about winning the fight. Last June, Simpson was dropped twice by Ivan Zucco before rallying to stop the tough Italian in the 10th round. It was a much harder night than it needed to be. He got away with it against Zucco. He wasn’t so fortunate against Williamson in December. McCracken could be that calming voice he needs to get him over the line on Saturday night.
But Williamson will be a tough nut to crack. The move up the weights has served him well. He looks reborn at super-middleweight. A late-career resurgence and one that could land him a world title opportunity if he repeats his previous victory over Simpson. After losing four fights in relative quick succession, Williamson looks better than ever. Make no mistake, his upset victory over Simpson was no fluke.
There was an impressive air of authority last time. Even as he got into the ring, he looked as though he knew something we didn’t. Even though Williamson was behind on the cards leading up to that pivotal 10th round, from ringside, I thought it was coming. Simpson was fading, and his inability to avoid the Williamson right hand was proving costly. Looking at my ringside report, I noted Williamson was starting to take over in the 8th round. Simpson had used too much energy too soon, and the result had a look of inevitability about it several rounds before Simpson found himself on the floor four times in that definitive final round.
The 29-year-old is the slight favourite to regain his British and Commonwealth titles from Williamson. Odds which are a little surprising after what happened in the first fight. The mental scars will likely still linger. Williamson might just have his number.
Williamson looks confident again. Even more so than the first time around. With Simpson, I think there is doubt. And plenty of it. He might be saying the right things, but they don’t carry anywhere near the kind of conviction that they should. But I still believe it is a fight he can win.
It is a difficult fight to predict the winner in a fight that will undoubtedly be fought in a seething atmosphere. The safer pick might be Williamson. Simpson does seem to go over a little too easily, and if he can’t fix those defensive flaws, he will likely lose again. That Williamson right hand landed all night long in the first fight. If it does again, there will only be one winner.
But I think Simpson, with the McCracken influence, can get the win back. He will need to box more at distance, resisting the temptation to trade with Williamson. It might even need the Barnsley man to fight an almost perfect fight. I don’t see Simpson stopping Williamson, but I think he can ride out a few rough moments to win on points.
Photo Credit: Chris Dean/Boxxer
