Lindsay lost the unanimous decision to Simpson at Belfast's King's Hall

John Simpson won a bruising battle in Belfast to dethrone defending champion Martin Lindsay and reclaim the British featherweight title.

Scot Simpson traded punches with the previously unbeaten Northern Irishman in a see-saw contest and ended the 12 rounds with a unanimous points victory.

Delighted 27-year-old Simpson said: "Once again, I was on the bottom.

"I knew my career could have been over, which scared me, so I had to dig deep. It was a magnificent fight."

Lindsay's manager, Frank Maloney, had hoped that victory over Simpson at King's Hall would be the stepping stone to a world title fight before the end of 2011.

He planned another defence before moving on to European and world title tilts for the man who stopped another Scot, Paul Appleby, in six rounds to become British champion in April 2009.

I was a bit disappointed with my own performance - I am normally better than that Martin Lindsay

It was Appleby who had wrenched the title from Simpson's hands in June 2008, but now the Greenock man, who first won the title by beating Andy Morris in 2006, can keep the Lonsdale Belt.

Simpson, who was given the fight 116-113 by all three judges, survived the early rounds to take control by the fourth, pounding the body of the Northern Irishman.

Although Lindsay rallied, Simpson was still getting in strong shots and Lindsay suffered heavy bruising around his right eye.

The defending champion edged the final round, but by then it was too late as Simpson claimed an unlikely victory.

It was one he never expected to have a shot at after losing a preliminary fight to Stephen Smith, only to get a crack at Lindsay when Smith suffered a hand injury.

Responding to Lindsay's claim that he had not been at his best on Wednesday evening, Simpson said: "I've got it wrong on the night before, but luckily I was sharp."

The former Commonwealth champion thought the similar styles of the two boxers had led to a thrilling contest.

And, praising his opponent, 28-year-old Lindsay vowed to recover his own boxing career despite losing a bout he had been favourite to win.

"He was a bit sharper on the night," said the man who successfully defended his title by unanimously outpointing Jamie Arthur in March to win his 17th consecutive professional bout.

"I was a bit disappointed with my own performance - I am normally better than that.

"But I will be back. There are plenty of opportunities out there for me."

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