Callum Simpson had been one of several super middleweights waiting to see what would happen with the division’s alphabet belts following Terence Crawford’s retirement, but the Englishman’s hopes of a world title shot were wrecked in dramatic fashion Saturday by one of 2025's comeback kings, Troy Williamson. The end, with Simpson just ahead on the cards, came in the 10th round, with the underdog scoring three knockdowns.
Williamson, 22-4-1 (16 KOs), was arguably at his best when campaigning at junior middleweight, but losses to Josh Kelly and Caomin Agyarko saw him rise to 160 last year. It proved only a brief pit stop when further defeats followed before the 34-year-old Williamson scored an impressive – and thrilling – stoppage over Mark Dickinson in September while debuting at 168. It’s a weight class that clearly suits him.
Making this victory all the more impressive is the fact he was always up against it. Simpson, who tonight lost his European, Commonwealth and British titles, was among the brightest up-and-comers in Britain and always commands huge ticket sales. As such, though from nearby Barnsley, UK, he was the "home" fighter tonight at the First Direct Arena in Leeds, where Boxxer, his promoter, rewarded Simpson for his loyalty with a pre-Christmas payday.
Boxxer – keen to impress the BBC, its new broadcast partner – no doubt recognized the potential for a thriller, too. Whether it now regrets that decision, with Simpson’s career taking a serious hit, is unknown.
The pace was predictably brisk in the opening round, with Williamson raiding with his jab and trailing right. But Simpson took control; a three-punch combination two minutes into the session culminated with Williamson’s head being socked backwards.
The veteran was having further trouble in the second; specifically, he was walking into jabs and teasing Simpson with wide open spaces in his guard. But Williamson’s overhand right was threatening, too. It scored, momentarily thwarting Simpson’s forward motion, with 30 seconds of Round 2 remaining.
Simpson, 18-1 (13 KOs), was better at range, firing straight shots down the middle, but Williamson was intent on landing that looping right hand. With both pressing ahead, an exciting exchange ensued with Williamson’s back against the ropes, inviting the chaos in the third. By the end of the round, the older man was again hitting the target with his overhand right, a blow that had very clearly been worked on.
Simpson, the favorite, was in the mood to put on a show, but his willingness to open up whenever close could have been confused with over-exuberance. Williamson rarely wasted an opportunity to catapult that counter right in the fourth. With one quarter of the bout down, there was an argument that he was ahead.
More two-way action followed in the fifth, following the same old pattern. Simpson would attack with both hands and Williamson would respond, taking advantage of some sloppy defensive work from the champion.
The tempo slowed ever so slightly in the sixth. Simpson, now wary of getting tagged on the counter, employed a slightly different approach as he circled the ring – when Williamson allowed him to – and tried to get his jab motoring. By the end of the seventh, though, it was back to the energy of earlier – Simpson spearing with both arms, Williamson hurling in looping shots around the side – and the fight looked like it was in the balance.
In the eighth, Williamson rocketed off his back foot and launched his right hand into Simpson’s temple. And in the ninth, with Darlington’s Williamson proving hard to hit as he zig-zagged inside, the upset was looking more and more likely as he brought his left hook to the party. At the end of the round, Williamson raised his arm to signal his opinion on who was winning.
Then came the dramatic and sudden end. Simpson had again been pushing forwards, again hurling somewhat carelessly, when Williamson’s right hit the sweet spot. Simpson fell, and though he got up quickly, it looked like a heavy fall. Williamson couldn’t miss, and Simpson couldn’t get out of the way. His gumshield was clocked from his mouth and, within seconds, two knockdowns became three before referee Lee Every belatedly stopped the fight, at 2 minutes and 21 seconds of the 10th, with Simpson dazed and unsteady.
“This is deep,” said Williamson. “I have carried this piece of paper with me since October. It said, ‘I will become British, Commonwealth, European titlist on December 20. Hashtag, and the new.’ I dreamt it, I believed it. Nobody believes in me more than myself.
“[This win] has changed my life. I always wanted to give my kids a better life than what I had growing up. Now I can do that.”
Matt Christie, a lifelong fight fan, has worked in boxing for more than 20 years. He left Boxing News in 2024 after 14 years, nine of which were spent as editor-in-chief. Before that, he was the producer of weekly boxing show “KOTV.” Now the co-host of ”The Opening Bell” podcast and regularly used by Sky Sports in the UK as a pundit, Matt was named as the Specialist Correspondent of the Year at the prestigious Sports Journalism Awards in 2021, which was the seventh SJA Award he accepted during his stint in the hot seat at Boxing News. The following year, he was inducted into the British Boxing Hall of Fame. He is a member of the BWAA and has been honored several times in their annual writing awards.
