THE PROMOTER for Callum Simpson’s upcoming Oakwell fight believes all 15,000 tickets will be sold and says the Barnsley man is the ‘biggest ticket-seller in the whole of the country.’
Ben Shalom is one of the most high-profile promoters in boxing, having founded Boxxer which partners with Sky Sports.
Simpson is one of their star fighters and is set to take on Italian Ivan Zucco for the European title at Oakwell on June 7 – now just over a fortnight away.
Shalom told the Chronicle: “15,000 is the maximum you can get for a non-football event at Oakwell.
“We are not far off and we believe we will hit capacity.
“Anyone who is thinking about it definitely needs to commit now because it feels like the whole of Barnsley is going.
“It is going to be special and pretty spectacular.
“I remember when we first signed Callum, he used go on about Barnsley all the time. Now he’s created this huge fanbase. For me, he’s the biggest ticket-seller in the whole of the country.
“He sells more tickets for an individual boxer than anyone I know right now.
“People usually start selling out stadiums at the end of their careers but he’s doing it at the start.
“You think of Ricky Hatton, Joe Calzaghe and Josh Warrington – you know where they are from and they have garnered huge support from their home town or city and done a lot for that place as well.
“Callum is like that with Barnsley.”
Simpson, 28, has won all 17 of his professional fights, 12 by knock-out.
The Zucco fight will be the second time the super-middleweight has boxed at Oakwell, after winning the British and Commonwealth titles last August in front of 7,000 fans.
Shalom said: “I remember when I first came to Barnsley and went to the Garrison. Callum had a couple of hundred fans there and that was the first time I saw what he saw.
“We realised there was going to be something very special here.
“The atmosphere for the first fight was phenomenal, and that was just one stand.
“I have to thank the club, the council and everyone involved. In a smaller town, you need everyone pushing and everyone is so excited about having someone like Callum Simpson.
“It’s OK to promote at big arenas but to promote at stadiums full of fans who are that passionate about a fighter is very rare.
“We had it with Chris Billam-Smith in Bournemouth and he became a world champion. Callum has more talent than Chris had then.
“Rather than having to chase fights, fighters will want to experience that atmosphere. The dream is Callum fighting for a world title at Oakwell but none of that will be possible without a win on June 7.”
Like Simpson, Zucco is unbeaten and expected to be the Barnsley man’s most difficult opponent.
Shalom said: “Every time we think we’re stepping Callum up, he rises to the occasion. We thought Steed Woodall would be really tough but it was over in two rounds.
“He’s better, fitter and stronger now and his intensity is hard for people to keep up with.
“One of the first fighters I ever worked with was Kell Brook who was one of the best we’ve ever seen in this country. Callum reminds me of him.
“There is no one who works harder. Anything can happen but he looks after the one per cents and puts in everything.
“With his talent and popularity, he could win world titles and become a pay-per-view star.
“The indicators all show that for someone to be doing this at this stage of their career is phenomenal.
“He’s very close to the promised land and June 7 will be a huge night.
“If he comes through that, there’s not a ceiling he can’t break through.”
Simpson added: “I can’t wait to return to Oakwell and pack the house.
“I’m up against a tough challenge in Zucco, an undefeated boxer with more knockouts than my total fights.
“But I have the entire town of Barnsley backing me.
“I’m fighting for all of us and will give everything to make our town European champions.
“I hope the fans rally behind the other Yorkshire lads on the card as well.”
