The stock of Callum Simpson is high, and the self-made star of Barnsley, England, hopes to parlay that status into a big fight should he land the European title on Saturday.

Back at the stadium of his hometown soccer team – Barnsley’s Oakwell ground – he will box Italy’s undefeated Ivan Zucco as he sets his sights on big fights further up the world-level ladder.

But without looking too far from home, Boxxer also has both Chris Eubank Jnr and Ben Whittaker in its stable, and the 28-year-old has already suggested to his promoter that he would be keen for both – although he admits the chances of either coming to pass are slender.

“I’d love to fight Chris Eubank Jnr, [but] I can’t see that fight ever happening,” he conceded. “I feel like his profile, he’ll be looking for the big-money fights, i.e., the Canelo [Alvarezes] and fights like that, or the Conor Benn rematch. Ben Whittaker, I don’t think he’d be too scared to fight me, it just wouldn’t make sense for him to fight me now – because he knows I’ll beat him, and I don’t think Boxxer will put him in with me anytime soon, either. I can’t really see them two fights happening anytime soon, but they are people that I would definitely fight.” 

But Simpson is a headliner in his own right. Thousands will travel to see him on Saturday at Oakwell Stadium, and he doesn’t feel the need to call people out or chase clout.

Simpson has become a significant attraction in the UK, and although Saturday marks the end of Boxxer’s current deal with broadcast giants Sky Sports, Simpson has become a key component of the Boxxer roster.

“I’m in an amazing position now, where I don’t have to chase anybody, I don’t have to call anyone out,” he said. “I’m on my own, I’m in my own lane, I’m doing well on my own. I’m where I am off of merit, not coming off a big amateur background, big Olympic background, and then getting signed straight away and paid ridiculous amounts of money. I’ve had my first 10 fights on small-hall shows, earning my way, Area title, British title, Commonwealth title, international titles, and just trying to step up every time. And I’ve had no handouts and I’ve not got no favors off anybody. I feel like I’ve come up that hard way and it’s paying off, and I’m just continuing doing what I’m doing.”

Simpson credits his rise with the ability to build and ultimately harvest his fanbase. He has sold more than 3,000 tickets for Saturday night, and he is responsible for a lot of those transactions individually.

“What I do is I put on my Facebook, Instagram, ‘Anyone want tickets, message me,’ they message me and I go through them,” Simpson explains to BoxingScene. “I’ve got my little spreadsheet on my laptop, my stepmom helps me fill that spreadsheet out. When I’ve collected them, it’ll be me and my stepmom going through them. My sister’s dealt with them before [Callum’s sister tragically passed away, aged 19], but this time with me and my stepmom and … I’ve actually invested in a printer this time.

“Normally, we used to have to write it by hand … the person, where we’ll get a ticket, how many tickets they wanted. But now we’ve got a printer I bought off Amazon last week – I’ve got a printer for, like, 80 quid. But it's worth the investment. So we just fill the spreadsheet in, the name, the amount of tickets, and then I’m going to put a post up [on social media] just saying I’m going to do one or two collection days in town, so I can meet people and give them the tickets personally and say thanks for your support, just like I did with my Steed Woodall fight – just a nice little touch for them. People are paying, giving their hard-earned money to come and watch me, to come and support me, so the least I can do is just say, ‘Hello, thank you’ and then give them the ticket myself.”

It used to be just fans from Barnsley ordering tickets, but now there is support from Essex, Coventry, Southampton, Manchester, Sheffield, Rotherham, Doncaster, Newcastle, Middlesbrough, Scotland, Ireland and even other countries.

Simpson’s profile is in the ascendency. 

That also brings pressure, but that is nothing new to Simpson. From his debut in 2019, Simpson has felt like every fight is of the must-win variety, and he was told as much before important contests with Dulla Mbabe and Zak Chelli. Before Mbabe, Boxxer had told Simpson he would fight at Oakwell for the first time if he won. Even ahead of the Woodall fight this year, Saturday’s June 7 date was confirmed back at Oakwell. Not if he lost.

“Everyone talks about pressure and stuff like that. It don’t affect me at all – don’t phase me at all,” Simpson said. “I’m very grateful, very privileged to be in a position where people want to come and support me, they want to get behind me. Sky expects a lot of me. I expect a lot. No one expects more of me than myself. And I’m not just saying it: I genuinely don’t feel pressure or nerves to deliver, I just want to do well. I want to deliver, but it doesn’t make me feel a certain way or get nervous about it.”

The organic journey of Simpson takes him into the European title fight with Zucco on Saturday and, again, Simpson knows that victory will unlock more big nights – and maybe back at Oakwell. Not yet 18 fights in, and Simpson would have boxed in his dream venue twice. Is there a point where he could outgrow his hometown soccer club?

“It’ll always have a place in my heart, but everyone wants a Vegas trip, don’t they?” Simpson said with a smile.

“Everyone wants a Vegas trip. Some are asking for a trip to Riyadh. Some are asking for a trip to Vegas or New York. I’m very grateful and privileged to box at Oakwell once, never mind twice. I think a lot of fighters go through their career never boxing at their hometown football stadium. If you look who’s done it, it’s been like Josh Warrington, Kell Brook, Chris Billam-Smith, Carl Froch, but they’re all for world titles. They’re all world title fights, so it’s not often there’s anyone that’s fought at a stadium and it’s not been for a world title. So for me to do it in my 15th fight, British and Commonwealth [titles], it’s crazy. And now go back to do it for a European. … But I think that’s just a credit, that shows the support that I’ve got from my fans in my local community and the support I’ve got from Boxxer and Sky, and their belief. Because it’s a massive investment from them, taking a massive punt on me and getting behind me, so that’s something that I’m very grateful for as well.”

Tris Dixon covered his first amateur boxing fight in 1996. The former editor of Boxing News, he has written for a number of international publications and newspapers, including GQ and Men’s Health, and is a board member for the Ringside Charitable Trust and the Ring of Brotherhood. He has been a broadcaster for TNT Sports and hosts the popular “Boxing Life Stories” podcast. Dixon is a British Boxing Hall of Famer, an International Boxing Hall of Fame elector, is on The Ring ratings panel and is the author of five boxing books, including “Damage: The Untold Story of Brain Trauma in Boxing” (shortlisted for the William Hill Sportsbook of the Year), “Warrior: A Champion’s Search for His Identity” (shortlisted for the Sunday Times International Sportsbook of the Year) and “The Road to Nowhere: A Journey Through Boxing’s Wastelands.” You can reach him @trisdixon on X and Instagram.