Callum Simpson was ecstatic to have his hometown of Barnsley support him ahead of his British and Commonwealth championship attempt against Zak Chelli on Saturday.
Simpson vs. Chelli for the super-middleweight titles will take place on Sky Sports, with rising lightweight sensation Caroline Dubois competing against Maira Moneo for the WBC Interim championship as the main support bout.
Simpson was wildly applauded when he took to the scales in the scorching heat at The Glassworks in the town center, with a small brass band providing celebratory music.
Both made weight. Simpson, after tense examination of the scales, was 11st 13lbs, with Chelli a pound lighter.
Chelli was roundly booed. But the champion seemed unperturbed by his reception.
Ticket sales, he declared, don’t win fights. “This does!” he roared pointing to his right arm.
The jeers reached a new crescendo but Chelli insisted: “I love it.
“You’re going to be disappointed on Saturday night,” he smiled, “unlucky.”
Simpson however clearly is feeling lucky. Delighted to have filled a 7,000-seat allocation at the Oakwell Stadium for Saturday, next year he wants to sell out the whole thing.
Dazzling against Chelli would help that and Simpson believes he can.
“I’m going to knock him out,” Simpson warned. “Whatever Chelli turns up Saturday is getting knocked out.”
Caroline Dubois (9st 7lbs 5oz) echoed that sort of confidence going into her Interim title fight. Facing off with Uruguay’s Maira Moneo (9st 8lbs), Dubois tapped the belt to indicate: ‘That’s mine.’ Moneo glared back at her simply shaking her head.
“I’m locked in right now and I can’t wait to fight,” the Londoner said. “I’m going to mess her up tomorrow.
“My punches are harder, I’m quicker, I’m better, more skillful, I’m going to knock her out.”
Benwell’s lively Joe Laws stood close to Stephen McKenna after they had weighed in, with five security guards surrounding them wary of another altercation.
Laws was 10st 12lbs 5oz, McKenna 10st 13lbs, but the Irishman’s advantage in height and size was abundantly plain.
He coldly threatened a “first-round knockout” saying: “Joe Laws needs to be taught a lesson and I’m going to do it in devastating fashion.
“I’m going to teach Joe Laws some manners.”
Laws though promised that he could rise to the occasion. “I’m ready for war. This is a Cinderella story,” he said.
“If he doesn’t stop me in a round, he’s failed.
“You’re getting smashed, sunshine. I’ve suffered to get here, I am bringing the heat and I’m bringing the energy.”
He finished with a final roar: “Let’s get ready to rumble!”