The bout between Callum Simpson and Ivan Zucco is set to headline a boxing fight card on June 7 at Oakwell Stadium in Barnsley, England. The pair of unbeaten super middleweights square off in a scheduled 12-round bout with the vacant European title on the line. The event airs live on Sky Sports in the UK and Ireland.
Simpson (17-0, 12 KOs) is coming off a win via fifth-round TKO against Elvis Ahorgah on the undercard of Azim vs Lipinets in February. In January, Barnsley’s 28-year-old stopped Steed Woodall in the second round.
“This is the biggest fight of my career, and I’m expecting my toughest test to date,” Callum Simpson said. “Last summer, I won the British and Commonwealth titles in front of my home crowd, and now we’re coming back, bigger and better, fighting for the European title against an undefeated fighter in Ivan Zucco.”
“This isn’t just another fight; it’s a massive European night, and I’m coming to put on a statement performance. I need Oakwell to be a fortress on June 7 and make sure that European title stays right here in Barnsley.”
“The support from Barnsley means everything to me. This town has backed me from day one, and to be fighting at Oakwell again, in front of my people, is something special. Last time we sold it out in two days; this time, we’re going even bigger. It’s going to be a night to remember, and I couldn’t be prouder to represent Barnsley on the big stage.”
Zucco (21-0, 18 KOs) makes his first ring appearance of the year following three successful outings in 2024. In his previous fight in December, the 29-year-old Italian southpaw TKO’d Kasim Gashi in the second round, after stopping Carlos Gallego Montijo in the fifth round and Gregory Trenel in the second round in October and July, respectively.
“I am really honoured to fight for such a prestigious title in such a big event,” Ivan Zucco said. “Facing a high-quality opponent like Callum Simpson is an opportunity that excites me a lot. It will be a tough battle, but I am ready to give my all for victory.”
“Winning the European title would be a dream come true. This title means a lot to me, not only on a personal level but also to my family and everyone who has always believed in me. It will be an honour to bring the title back to Italy and the culmination of a journey that I have undertaken with passion and sacrifice.”
The bouts featured on the Simpson vs Zucco undercard are expected to be confirmed shortly.