Simpson hopes to regain the British title before a tilt at the European belt

By Keir Murray

It says much about boxing and the competitiveness of the featherweight division that John Simpson's bout against Paul Truscott was being described by promoters and pundits as "make or break" for the Greenock fighter.

In most sports, Simpson would be approaching his best years, but aged 25 and having boxed just once (a points win over John Gicharu in November) since he lost his British title to fellow Scot Paul Appleby in June 2008, there was a danger that another defeat would ensure his title-fighting days were already behind him.

As it turned out, a determined Simpson defeated Middlesbrough's Truscott in January's contest to win the Commonwealth featherweight belt.

Simpson, therefore, is back in the mix and has his sights set on a number of targets: a defence of his Commonwealth belt, possibly on the undercard of the Amir Khan-Marco Antonio Barrera fight in Manchester in March; regaining his Lonsdale Belt, which he successfully defended twice before losing to Appleby; and European and world titles.

Meeting Simpson at his flat, a short distance from his other home, Greenock Amateur Boxing Club, after his stoppage victory over Truscott, there were no complaints about the additional pressure he had been under.

Relief, satisfaction and a yellow bruise around his eye were all that was evident.

"I've had harder fights," says Simpson with no trace of boastfulness.

"I've got a bit of a sore hand and things but I'm just relieved I've got the Commonwealth title. It's just good to get the belt."

Simpson trains twice a day, five or six times a week.

"I am exceptionally fit every time I go in the ring," he said.

"The last thing I want to do is get embarrassed on the television for not being fit. It's not fair on my trainer either."

Boxing may be called the "sweet science", but Simpson can't recall the last time a chocolate passed his lips. His chosen sport, clearly, is both a regime and a profession.

Yet despite turning pro at 19 and enjoying more than he has endured, with a record of 19 wins in 25 fights, Simpson does not give the impression that boxing rules his life completely.

For someone who has won Scottish junior and senior top accolades before the British and Commonwealth titles, there are no trophies, medals or photos marking his achievements in his living room.

When I ask to see his newest belt, Simpson gets it from another room and brings it out of its case.

I felt I was really on top before the referee stopped it, but you've got to take the win how it comes John Simpson on victory over Paul Truscott

He speaks at length and with passion about his career and how he took up boxing relatively late, at 15. But he is just as keen to talk about his lively young son too.

"I get to keep the Commonwealth belt, which is good. My boy is into wrestling belts so he is over the moon. It's a good achievement," says Simpson.

His trainer Danny Lee says he used to carry a chip on his shoulder, but there now seems a calmness and maturity about his fighter.

Simpson speaks modestly, describing as "quite good" the addition of his name to those of Barry McGuigan and Duke McKenzie in the list of British featherweight champions. But modesty does not preclude ambition.

"I didn't even expect to box for a British title when I first turned professional," he admits.

"Winning that and winning the Commonwealth is past what I thought I could do. Now I've done that, I want to set the bar further."

Some commentators argue that Simpson has been on the wrong end of decisions over the years, notably against Dazzo Williams and Derry Matthews, and has not boxed as often as he would have wished.

In his seventh year as a professional pugilist, he knows how the fight game works.

Simpson has now won Scottish, British and Commonwealth titles

Of the Truscott bout, Simpson said: "If I'd got beat again, I would have been right down the pecking order for the British title and I would be back to boxing at dinner shows. I'd have gone right down the rankings.

"It's a lot of hard training just to go and box on dinner shows. Obviously the money's not as good and you want to be boxing on the telly - that's what spurs you on in training.

"But I won it on a stoppage. I wish the fight had gone on a wee bit further, because I felt I was really on top before the referee stopped it, but you've got to take the win how it comes."

Fatherhood has made him more determined than ever to reach the top and make as much as he can to provide for his family.

He can take a punch to the chin, can deliver crunching body blows from his nine-stone frame and, as old foe Andy Morris discovered, drop an opponent with a right cross.

Simpson will be calling on all these assets in the coming year as this courageous fighter defends his Commonwealth belt and seeks a tilt at British and European titles.

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