Analysis of Callum Simpson's Oakwell win on Saturday by our boxing writer Ashley Ball.
A ROAR then silence.
Around eight seconds had elapsed when Callum Simpson was put down for the first time in his career.
The shocked Oakwell crowd were relieved when he bounced back to his feet and was seemingly okay from the flash knockdown after being caught square on against southpaw Ivan Zucco.
It’s not how you start it’s how you finish.
But let’s recover first. Simpson did for all of a minute before turning the tables on the Italian.
Two big right hands rock Zucco backwards and then a left hand catches him clean and he is off balance and retreating.
That was just the first 90 seconds.
Simpson had won the round but the knockdown saw it level.
Round two and Simpson ups the pressure by forcing Zucco back onto the ropes.
It’s not a place he wants to be but he’s going to get familiar with it.
Then the first of the uppercuts start firing in too with a left-handed version almost lifting Zucco off the canvas.
Zucco’s in the neutral corner and under fire again in the third but comes back firing with a left cross catching Simpson unawares and sending him down again.
This shot certainly had a lot more in it but a timely end to the round gives Simpson time to regroup in the corner.
What’s the plan now?
Zucco certainly does not like being pushed back but he is capable of catching Simpson.
Keep the pressure on but be more cautious with it. Use your height and give yourself more room.
Simpson carries out that approach in the fourth and fifth to go ahead on the scorecards.
Come the sixth and Zucco is back into his very own version of Hellfire Corner.
The artillery is coming from the fists of Simpson and his Barnsley Pals are cheering every single one of them.
Zucco is showing signs of distress. Fiddling with his protector and gasping for air.
Rounds seven, eight and nine give him no sustained relief as the pressure keeps coming.
His own attempt at applying it is swiftly dismissed by the ramped up Simpson.
Round ten and Zucco is boxed into his own corner.
A left uppercut keeps him planted there and it’s followed by three more before Zucco is down.
He gets up and vows to fight on but he’s smartly worked back into the corner for more of the same.
Down again.
Zucco gets back up and throws a desperate left but three more uppercuts have him down again.
Deliberation from the corner delays the celebrations momentarily but a wave of the arms from Spanish referee Jon Fernandez triggered an Oakwell explosion.
Barnsley’s champion adds another belt to his collection but has shown he’s fallible.
That will probably make his hometown love him even more.
