Oakwell Stadium in Barnsley is the setting for a Boxxer-promoted card this Saturday evening, as home hero Callum Simpson gets his shot at the British and Commonwealth super middleweight titles against Zak Chelli in the main event.
Sky Sports televise Chelli vs Simpson live in the UK.
After being taken the distance in his first two contests as a pro, Simpson (14-0, 10 KOs) picked up a number of followers after a run of nine straight early wins, all inside three rounds or less, and after winning the vacant Central Area belt in October 2022, halting Ben Ridings in two frames, he linked up with Boxxer, and stopped Celso Neves in three in Manchester.
Simpson would be taken the ten round distance for the first time in July last year, as he clearly outpointed Boris Crighton, and he then had to do the same against Jose de Jesus Macias, where he won every round and scored a knockdown in their September 2023 meeting.
The 27-year-old was last out in March, knocking Dulla Mbabe out in four rounds.
Chelli (15-2-1, 7 KOs) had previously served as English champion, but lost that belt last July in an upset points loss against Mark Jeffers, before rebounding in January this year taking the British and Commonwealth belts in a points win against Jack Cullen, who had held the Fulham man to a draw over three years earlier.
Prediction: Simpson is a real talent, but he hasn’t had an acid test yet, and Chelli will surely provide this. With a home crowd behind him, I think the Barnsley man can become new champion with a close win on the cards.
Dubois keeps busy against Moneo
Another big Boxxer talent is Caroline Dubois, and she takes the next step towards becoming a fully fledged world champion by defending her IBO lightweight title against WBC interim title holder Maira Moneo.
Dubois (9-0, 5 KOs) won the IBO crown in September last year, dropping Magali Rodriguez three times on the way to a landslide points win, and she defended in February, taking every round of ten against Miranda Reyes.
Caroline Dubois believes Maira Moneo’s style will play right into her hands 🔥@SduboisC | #ChelliSimpson – Saturday, 7pm pic.twitter.com/c4YRAqhZqR
— Sky Sports Boxing (@SkySportsBoxing) July 29, 2024
Uruguay’s Moneo (14-1, 3 KOs) has only lost once, via disqualification, and won the interim crown in her last outing, widely winning on the cards against Lizbeth Crespo in Argentina.
Prediction: Dubois is surely on her way to world titles, and I can’t see Moneo getting close in this one, with Dubois taking a wide points win.
McKenna locks horns with Laws
The undercard also features Stephen McKenna (14-0, 13 KOs), and the Irishman can take the vacant WBC International Silver super welterweight title with a win inside the scheduled ten round distance against Joe Laws (14-2, 5 KOs), who is coming off a points win against Michael Hennessy Jr.
Further undercard preview
Another unbeaten Irishman is Connor Coyle (20-0, 9 KOs), and the middleweight hope can take a points win over eight against Kyle Lomotey (12-1, 2 KOs).
Also at middleweight, Mauro Silva (5-0, 2 KOs) will likely need the distance, this one over six rounds, to see off the teak-tough Dale Arrowsmith (6-110-5, 1 KO). Crusierweight prospect Billy Deniz (11-0, 5 KOs) can also bank a points win over six against Khalid Graidia (11-14-5, 2 KOs).
Joel Kodua (6-0, 0 KOs) also sees action with an opponent to be confirmed for the welterweight.
