We analyse the credentials and statistics of domestic super-middleweight rivals Callum Simpson and Steed Woodall as the pair get set to contest a British and Commonwealth title showdown in Sheffield this weekend.
British boxing in 2025 begins on Saturday night in Sheffield when Yorkshireman Callum Simpson defends his British and Commonwealth super-middleweight titles against Birmingham’s Steed Woodall.
Simpson starts as a long odds-on favourite in his first defence but is this really a foregone conclusion for the Barnsley man?
Let’s look at the 'Tale of the Tape'...
Callum Simpson | Steed Woodall | |
Age: | 28 | 30 |
Nickname: | N/A | 'The Stallion' |
Height: | 6ft 3ins | 5ft 11ins |
Reach: | 75ins | 69.5ins |
Weight: | Super-middleweight | Super-middleweight |
Trainer: | Mark Hurley | Paul Counihan |
Record: | 15-0 (10 KOs) | 19-2-1 (12 KOs) |
Last Fight: | Won (UD) v Zak Chelli (August 2024) | Won (TKO) v Lerrone Richards (June 2024) |
Fighting in front of several thousand fans at the home of his favourite football team, Barnsley, and winning the British super-middleweight title in August was a dream come true for Callum Simpson.
Beating then champion Zak Chelli proved that Simpson had it in him to step up a few levels having boxed mediocre position in his 14 fights beforehand.
However, his 2024 would be hit with tragedy when, just a few weeks later, his younger sister Lily-Rae was killed in a car accident, in Zante.
On Saturday night Simpson will carry a tribute to her on his ring attire as he looks to maintain his unbeaten record and defend his title.
The win over Chelli was about just that - getting the victory.
Chelli’s style never brought the best out in Simpson, but his work-rate and endeavour was enough to get him over the line.
Steed Woodall should be more to his liking on Saturday night at the Park Community Arena, but the challenger comes in with a career best win over Lerrone Richards behind him and a full camp for his maiden British title challenge.
At 6/1 Woodall could be a terrific bet.
The experience of developing his career in America added more strings to Woodall’s bow and the 30-year-old is full of belief and confidence.
Beating a former world rated and IBO champion in Lerrone Richards proved he belongs at this level at the very least.
Simpson must show all his bulldozing qualities if he is to quieten Woodall and keep him at bay.
The champion rightly starts as the favourite but by the end of the night he may have found himself in a fight not against a underdog but someone potentially his equal.
Strengths | Weaknesses |
Power | Fights with himself |
Hand speed | Over-eager |
Reflexes | Neglects defence during attacks |
Punch combinations | Looks for big shots too often |
Steed ‘The Stallion’ Woodall was able to down tools from running his flooring company to ensure he got a full camp for his first ever British title fight.
Woodall’s career has been to America and back, and, at times, reached the edge of no return proving once again how badly inactivity can damage a career.
The victory over Lerrone Richards was not predicted but showed what exactly Woodall is capable of... and that was with a part-time camp!
The question remains, however, did Richards overlook him?
Did his simple mistake in getting caught en-route to his defeat come down to complacency or is Woodall simply a bogeyman for someone of Richards’ safety first fighting style?
On Saturday night Woodall will face a big, towering 12 stone man who won’t spend the night flicking out the jab to keep him at bay.
There will be fireworks at close quarters and Woodall will have to prove his whiskers if he is to get into the fight and have a chance of winning.
If he can do so and push the champion back into uncomfortable territory then the upset may well be on.
Strengths | Weaknesses |
Versatility | Vulnerable to backhand |
Jab | Opponent's jab |
Judge of distance | Inactivity |
Short right hand | Follows opponent around the ring too much |