Callum Simpson Vs Boris Crighton: Simpson Expects To Plough Through Domestic Opposition Starting With Crighton

Callum Simpson says he ‘should be ploughing through the domestic scene’ but faces his biggest test yet.

Callum Simpson is a formidable force in the prospect/fringe contender ranks of British boxing.

“If I’m as good as I believe I am, I should be ploughing through the domestic scene,” The Barnsley showstopper told me in a recent interview.

However, he faces by far the toughest test of his fledgling career, in the form of the game and prolific, Boris Crighton.

Crighton earned many plaudits when he stepped in at late notice to fight Lyndon Arthur, within 30 hours of the first bell sounding.

Crighton buzzed Arthur in the fourth round and made it awkward for Arthur to impose his jab on the contest. So much so that Sunny Edwards told his friend that the TV commentators had Crighton ahead before the seventh, to spur him on to a hard-fought victory.

Crighton has also stopped a fighter, well-rated within the trade, Matt McCallum, so he has legit punching power too.

But Simpson will surely be fancying his chances to better Arthur’s performance and finish off the Scottish super-middleweight within the distance (Crighton has only once previously been stopped by Diego Costa).

Simpson won the Central Area championship in Oldham, around 10 months ago. That was supposed to be a step up in class and he blitzed out Ridings, who gave Thomas Whittaker Hart a run for his money.

Then, Simpson dismantled Celso Neves. Again, another fighter who had given problems to a familiar British boxing name, Felix Cash.

So, the narrative is certainly framed for Simpson to push on and get another statement win; to further his seemingly inevitable ascension to the upper echelons of the sport.

But Crighton has already shown a willingness to upset the script, when he pushed Arthur to the full distance, and when he got a win in the away corner against McCallum.

His unorthodoxy as a fighter poses a challenge that Simpson hasn’t seen before, and he has decent punch resistance too.

Simpson will hope his signature lead left hook will cause Crighton a world of pain. While Crighton will be hoping to extend Simpson into the later rounds and come on strong down the stretch.

It has the potential to be the fight of the night. It feels that either of the above keys to success for both fighters is also compatible with a rewarding fight for the fans.

Either another showreel knockout from Simpson or a tough, competitive encounter. Expect drama.

By Harry Duffy