Boxxer are pushing to secure permission to sell up to 18,000 tickets for the European super middleweight title fight between Callum Simpson and Italy’s Ivan Zucco on June 7.

Simpson is to return to Oakwell Football Ground, the stadium of his hometown team Barnsley, less than a year after selling all 7,000 tickets when he challenged his fellow Englishman Zak Chelli for the British and Commonwealth titles.

It was the success of that occasion, commercially even more than Simpson’s performance, that convinced his promoter and broadcaster Sky Sports to return there as soon as possible. Victories over Steed Woodall and Elvis Ahorgah followed that over Chelli, further enhancing the 28-year-old’s profile, and for his date with the heavy-handed, undefeated Zucco he is expecting a crowd more than double in size. 

“It’s going to be at least 15,000,” he told BoxingScene. “At the minute they’re at 15,000. I want it to be more. Boxxer are working closely with the football club and the local authorities – the police, and the council – to try and get it as high as possible for a non-football event. 

“Realistically, I think we’re pushing for 17,500; 18,000. It’s massive, innit? It’s absolutely massive. Last year we did it at 7,000, and the event was absolutely unbelievable. This time, even 15,000 is just unreal – it’s crazy. 

“If you look at Tony Bellew – he did about 12,000, 13,000 [in the region of 15,000 was reported] at Goodison Park for a world-title fight at cruiserweight [against Congo’s Ilunga Makabu in 2016], and how big he was. For us to be even thinking about doing 15,000 is unbelievable. For a European title fight, if you look at all the boxers who have done it locally… Josh Warrington, world title; Kell Brook, world title; Carl Froch, world title; Tony Bellew, world title. For me to do it for the British firstly, and then go to this kind of capacity for a European, not even a world-title fight, so early in my career, it’s absolutely massive. I’m so proud and grateful to be given this opportunity, in my hometown of Barnsley. 

“Barnsley, we’ve proven time and time again – that’s why the show’s called One Of Our Own – 7,000 sold-out within 48 hours last time, and that was against Zak Chelli for a British title. It were the only fight announced on the card; no one really knew who it was, in terms of the fans coming to watch. They just knew that a local lad from Barnsley were fighting at Oakwell, and that’s why they got behind me. They’re about their own. 

“Now I’m a lot more established; I got bit more of a name for myself, not just in Barnsley but more nationally as well. We’re fighting for a European title, and it’s an undefeated fighter – 21-0; 18 knockouts. He’s had more knockouts than I’ve had fights, so if I was a fan, I’d definitely be up for that.”

Three weeks separated Simpson’s fights with Woodall and Ahorgah. Before learning that Zucco, 29, was to be his next opponent, Simpson had already recognised that he required a rest. 

After the second of those, on February 1, he spent a week in St Lucia with his then-girlfriend Daniella, who agreed to marry him after he proposed to her while they were still there, and then two weeks in Dubai, where he sparred four times. 

He had previously spoken of his desire to win the British title “outright”, by making three successful defences of it – Woodall remains the only one so far – and when asked if his pursuit of the EBU title meant that he was advancing beyond that ambition he responded: “I still want to win the British outright. I’m hoping to win the European in the summer; Hamzah Sheeraz is moving up to 168, so it’s the perfect European-British defence right there. 

“I feel great. I started camp in a great place, two weeks ago. My weight’s better – lower than it was this far out, last camp. My numbers and my circuits in training are better than they were last time out. I’ve started in a great position.”