Simpson Survives Two Knockdowns To Stop Zucco

Super-middleweight Callum Simpson picked himself up disconnected nan canvas doubly earlier securing a stunning stoppage triumph complete Ivan Zucco successful his location municipality of Barnsley.

Simpson, 28, made history arsenic he maintained his unbeaten grounds (18-0) to go nan town's first European champion erstwhile he stopped Italy's Zucco successful nan 10th information astatine Barnsley FC's Oakwell Stadium.

The Englishman dedicated nan triumph to his sister, Lily-Rae Simpson, who died aged 19 successful a car mishap successful Greece past year.

"Not erstwhile did I springiness up, successful those past fewer rounds I'll beryllium honorable I started reasoning astir my small sister Lily," Simpson said.

"I'll beryllium honest, I conscionable thought I had to push for her and for everybody. This clip past year, Lily was sat up present cheering maine connected and she was location pinch maine coming erstwhile it sewage tough, erstwhile it sewage hard.

"From information eight, I thought, 'I've sewage to excavation deep, I've sewage to support pushing, I've sewage to do it for her'. She was pinch maine tonight."

With nan win, Simpson puts himself successful premier contention for a step up to world level by nan extremity of nan year.

But nan raucous Oakwell crowd feared nan worse pinch only 8 seconds connected nan timepiece successful in nan opening information erstwhile Zucco downed Simpson pinch a difficult near hand.

Simpson shook disconnected nan early knockdown and buzzed Zucco pinch immoderate good punching of his own, but nan location favourite was caught excessively quadrate successful nan 3rd round, dropped for nan 2nd clip by a near hand.

Spurred connected by 23,000 wrong nan shot ground, Simpson was not to beryllium deterred and he continued to beforehand - taking a number of risks on nan way.

Simpson sensed an opening successful nan 10th information arsenic he stalked Zucco earlier launching a stunning near uppercut connected nan chin of his force - who past sank to his knees earlier beating nan 10-count.

Zucco was subjected to different punishing uppercut and slumped to his knees but he bravely roseate connected nan count of eight, until a 3rd knockdown meant nan Italian's area pulled their man retired of nan fight.