Zak Chelli VS Callum Simpson
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SportsTranscript
00:0012 rounds or fewer for the British and Commonwealth Super Middleweight Cycles
00:05Callum Simpson the challenger, in the red, Zach Shelley the champion, in the green
00:11Good positive start for both of them
00:26That's a good round from Simpson on the tank
00:33Simpson wasting no time here in getting his punches off, he's really going at Shelley early here
00:41And trying to set the rhythm, set the tempo himself
00:46Shelley with that staccato rhythm, that twitchy kind of style
00:53And it's easy for opponents to get sucked into that
00:57And to end up finding themselves a bit disjointed, a little bit off key
01:04But Simpson determined here I think to set the agenda himself
01:08He's keen to make an early impression and to let Shelley feel the physical strength and the tempo
01:14I think Shelley's definitely felt that power already
01:17The first right hand I think has just been clipped again with a shot
01:21He got caught with the left hand, right hand side of the ring
01:25And this has been a strong start from Simpson, 90 seconds in
01:29Shelley again, just on the borderline of range
01:34That's where you often see him, almost pawing at the cameras with that right boot
01:38Ready to spring in, but it's Simpson who has let his hands go
01:43Hasn't really given Shelley too much of an opportunity so far
02:05Again Simpson looking for that left hand, almost found the right hand off the back of it
02:20I think Shelley had been expecting a fast start from Simpson
02:24He's the one that's done the 12 round distance
02:27So he'll be wanting to ride this pressure out a little bit
02:30But he can't be taking too much punishment
02:33And that's where Simpson's got to be careful that he doesn't punch himself out early
02:38Big right hand there from Simpson and Shelley's on a steady lap
02:42Simpson just trying to claw in here, lands with a lap
02:45Shelley somehow has managed to stay upright there
02:50Just over 10 seconds remaining in the round but that was a big shot
02:54That really wobbles out Shelley, big uppercut there from Simpson
02:58And Shelley needs a bow here
03:04In the fight, in the first round
03:06So here we go into the second
03:09Simpson just stooping looking to try and throw that jab
03:12Throws a little feint and then goes down to the body
03:15It's important now that Simpson doesn't get carried away because he's all gone to a shot
03:21Yeah good first round from Simpson but he wants to settle down and get back on his jab
03:26Coming behind that jab, double jab right hand
03:30Shelley just needs to dig in here
03:33Just needs to get that kind of foothold
03:37It was a concerning first round for him to say the least
03:40Because you could see from the look on his face from early
03:45That when he felt the power from Simpson
03:49He could see that it was serious
03:53I think Shelley just needs to settle down, he doesn't need to go into a 12 round fight
03:56He's been 12 rounds before
03:59Doesn't need to take unnecessary risks just to try and match Simpson
04:04If Simpson's gone home and wants to go, let him go, just tie him up
04:08Come underneath the shots
04:11Just short with the right hand there Simpson
04:14As he closed in on Shelley again, Shelley looking to move that head
04:29Simpson down to the body then trying to throw the left up to the jaw
04:34And then just shut down his own space a little bit
04:38Midway through round 2
04:39I'm saying Shelley just might have to weather the storm early on
04:42Until the pace slows a little bit and then
04:45Get his jab going and then get into the fight in round 4, 5, 6
04:50Like I said I'm sure he'll have been expecting a fast start from Simpson
04:54He's just got to make sure he gets through it
04:56Without taking too much damage
04:58He landed a good stiff lead left hand on Simpson a few seconds ago
05:02As Simpson came forward
05:04And he does need to try and use that jab Shelley
05:07It's a good weapon for him, he stoops off to his left
05:10Really gets underneath the shoulder as he throws it
05:20Nice work to the body there from Simpson
05:27Go on, go on, go on, go on, go on, go on, go on, go on, go on
05:32Go on, go on, go on, go on, go on, go on, go on, go on, go on
05:41There's that jab again
05:43And again just caused Simpson as he was coming forward
05:45And that's what he needs to do Shelley
05:47Just offset him as he looks to set up his own attacks there, Callum Simpson
05:52Not give him a chance to really set
05:56Go on, go on, go on, go on, go on, go on, go on, go on, go on
06:00Go on, go on, go on, go on, go on, go on, go on, go on
06:03He just managed to grind his way back into things a bit there towards the end of it
06:06Yeah, sometimes a little prism of Callum of Abbey
06:10Sometimes he likes to rush himself a little bit on that double jab
06:13He leans in and steps in a little bit too close
06:15And that'll allow Shelley to smother him a little bit
06:18And then that's where he can lose his rhythm
06:20Shelley also likes to wait and find his time on the outside before he waves his attacks
06:24I think the longer jab from Simpson, less predictable and varies it up
06:30I think that stops him from being able to rest on the outside
06:38Simpson just trying to chop down with the right hand
06:50Go on, go on, go on, go on, go on, go on, go on, go on
06:56The little bounces and little dips that Simpson's making are putting Shelley off
07:01He can't read it, his attacks
07:03It was a good uppercut there from Simpson
07:05As Shelley just looked to try and shift forward
07:08And then he chopped down with the right hand
07:10And he's still bringing the heat to Shelley here, Simpson
07:13But he's doing it in a nice, educated way here, Matt
07:16He's not throwing bundles of punches
07:18But he's taking his space with that front foot
07:20And just putting that pressure on him
07:22Yeah, he is, and I think
07:24A bit like what Dave said, I think Shelley's struggling to kind of get the read of the rhythm of
07:30He's a bit of an irky-jerky style Simpson
07:33And it's throwing Shelley off, he can't read him
07:38And when they exchange at close quarters like they did there
07:42It does look a little bit dangerous for Shelley at times
07:45And he might get caught with one
07:48Again, I always find that Shelley, when he does go to work on the inside
07:51He rushes it, and he swings his shots round the back
07:54And so they're going wide
07:56And when Simpson slows his attacks down a little bit on the inside
07:59He picks some beautiful power shots on the inside
08:01He's actually, his inside work can be pretty good for a big man, for a rangy man
08:07When he slows it down that little bit
08:10Into the final minutes of round three
08:13Shelley with the right hand to the body, then rolled away to the right hand side
08:17The gun shield has come out over on the far side of the ring
08:20Shelley just kicks it out of the ring
08:28It's Simpson, Simpson's gun shield
08:30Shelley kicked it out, yeah
08:4320 seconds remaining in the round
08:48When you get knocked down in the first round
08:50Your job, basically for the next couple of rounds
08:53Is not to take more punishment, and get yourself back into the fight
08:57But not to rush yourself, don't take any more damage
09:00Just ease your way back into the fight
09:02Because your senses will still not be 100%
09:04Your legs might not be 100%
09:06So you can't be taking too many chances
09:08And taking a heavier shot again that cleans you out
09:12And just knocked back onto his heels there
09:14By that right hand from Simpson once again, Shelley
09:16But as Matt said, he's got to try and weather the storm
09:19At the minute leading into the second half
09:22That's it, because Simpson's burning energy all the time
09:25That he keeps raiding these attacks
09:26And if you can make him miss, if you can smother him
09:29Frustrate him, and pick your shots when you can
09:33Then as we're coming to the back end of the fight
09:35If he's still there, that's when things will change
09:38That was a decent start to the round there from Shelley
09:40Led off with the right hand, landed it
09:41Then followed up with the left
10:01It is looking better from Shelley
10:02Dipping his shoulders a little bit, shooting the jab
10:04Looking a little bit more lively now
10:10Shelley!
10:28Simpson just stooping into the jab
10:30Shelley, just using his feet a little bit better
10:33Managing to keep that distance
10:35Back up when he needs to
10:37And he's listening to his coach
10:41He's following the instruction exactly up to the letter
10:45Nice jab downstairs
10:46The thing about Shelley's jab is that he's bearing it up
10:49He's shooting it up, but he's shooting it downstairs as well
11:06Big right hand underneath from Shelley
11:08Simpson just waited a bit too long, didn't he?
11:10And Shelley capitalised
11:34Both of them seem to land left hooks as well
11:36He's had a much better round here, Shelley
11:38It's his best of the fight so far, certainly
11:51Turned out of the corner well there, Shelley
11:53Simpson tried to pin him in and let that right hand go
11:55But he just slid underneath that left and pirouetted around the side
12:02But it's still Simpson the one looking to try and be the more proactive of the two
12:07Shelley though, responding well there
12:11It's a good round from Shelley
12:12Yep
12:16And when he needed one as well
12:17Yep
12:27Into the fourth, that's Shelley in the green
12:30defending his British and Commonwealth Super Middleweight titles
12:32that he won against Jack Cullen back at the start of the year
12:59And it's just slipped the jab there, Shelley
13:01and through the combination
13:02It didn't really land
13:05But that fourth round will have given him some confidence
13:08He's settled down
13:10and looked more like the fighter that we've seen
13:133, 2, 1
13:27Made to miss with the right hand but Simpson followed up with
13:30some good work to the body with the left
13:33The problem is that Simpson's attacks are pretty much the same over and over again
13:40And if Shelley's getting a read on that
13:42that's where he's starting to make him miss a lot more
13:44and then he'll start to be able to pick the counters
13:49Some good use of the jab over on the far side of the ring from Simpson though
13:52and then aimed the uppercut
13:54Again there, just stoops into the jab a bit but managed to land it
13:59Shelley looking for that overhand right, kind of half-landed
14:03and then a left hand off the back of it
14:06There's not many body shots from either fighter going in to be honest
14:12There's the scuffing shots when he's getting up close like that
14:15Shelley just looking to win that right hand
14:16over the top, there wasn't really room for it
14:42Landed a good right to the body just before the head
14:44to the body just before that closing stages around five there's not much in this one
14:49a good finish from either one of them can be enough here
14:56you have been a scrappy around
15:15and again plenty thrown there by the parents but nothing really landing clean
15:28absolutely packed
15:44Simpson looking to commit their jelly though just making him fall short then stepped off
15:56to the right hand side face there from Simpson trying to draw something from
16:01he's not really going for them
16:10well that's how you're scoring it at home four rounds to Simpson and one drawn i think we might
16:17have gone the other way with round four there i think we probably felt that
16:21Shelley did enough in round four that fifth round was very very tight
16:30that was a good right hand into the body there from Simpson
16:41almost beating his chest there and just trying to invite Shelley in
16:55and what's been good from Simpson in this round so far and maybe in that previous one although
17:00there wasn't much in it he had made the quick start obviously and maybe fancied his chances
17:06of getting an early finish but now he's being a little bit more circumspect he's not throwing too
17:12much he's not being made to miss wildly and you get the feeling that he's probably expecting a
17:17distance fight now yeah he's settled down a little bit now he understands now that Shelley's not
17:21going to go anywhere quick you know he's got to work he's got to work for the knockout if it's
17:25going to come
17:41pops out the jab nicely
17:56i think Shelley needs to get a bit busy with his jab as well he's just looking for those big lead
18:01what loop in your hands you're not going to land those needs to just use some more fights jab double
18:05jab jab the body mix it up we'll get busy with that left hand the fourth round we start using
18:10his jab more didn't he ask his best round closing stages to round six nearly at the halfway stage
18:17Callum Simpson has not done 12 rounds before Zach Shelley has stepped in with a
18:22good strong left hand to the body there Shelley
18:39okay into the second half of the fight the Lord Lonsdale belt on the line here super middleweight
18:45has been such a successful division for British fighters since it came into existence a few
18:51decades ago good job there for Shelley yeah i was just gonna say that's a lovely job it looks
18:59like he's had orders from the corner to get back on that jab like Matt was saying
19:04that's nice work from Shelley again come off the jab
19:09those big loopy shots of okay if you've got your distance
19:13if you can't hit with a jab you're probably not going to hit him with a big loopy right hand
19:17yeah but he's done that all the way through his career that's that's been the thing about
19:21Shelley he's really raging with the attacks and he's rushing roulette all the time end
19:26around the back of the opponent decent work to the body there from Simpson as he just pushed
19:32Shelley into the ropes a touch of frustration from a home fighter there feeling that Shelley's
19:38just borrowing in a little bit with his head he is very awkward to fight he would definitely
19:42have expected that and again there he comes forward Shelley dips at the waist and
19:47comes up underneath his armpit basically he is very slippery
19:56the double jab there from Simpson backed him up nicely
19:59yeah it was the double jab without writing to get in and then he threw the right hand afterwards
20:04sometimes I'd like him just to throw the jab on his own and double jab on his own
20:08and keep it a ring but driving him back with it
20:11full extension rather than shorty and falling in with that right hand which sometimes can be predictable
20:39until the final minute of the round the crowd again just finding their
20:46voice and getting behind Callum Simpson
20:50so
21:04I think Shelley's a little bit surprised by the physical strength
21:10the size of the strength
21:11and with Simpson you can absolutely see that he is a big big super middleweight
21:20a couple of times he's turned him off the ropes and almost thrown Shelley into the ropes
21:25closing seconds in round seven
21:33and he has weathered that early storm Zach Shelley he's managed to do that with we know
21:40that Shelley needs to turn it around but he's all his attacks the exact same when he's up like
21:45Matt was saying the over and right from range when he gets up close he'll throw three shots but we're
21:49all swinging all wide shots so again a lot of his shots are missing there's a lot of shots from both
21:54fighters they're actually missing
22:04again Simpson just looking to take that center and that's been a feature of the fight he's operated
22:09in the middle for the most part Shelley Moore working that outer cut place looks to try and
22:14ditch that big right hand in over the top and that kind of dynamic in a close round
22:21that visual can count with judges
22:31set his feet and climbed into that one but he needs more
22:39so
22:53Shelley just signaling but he found he was caught slightly around the back of the head there to
22:57referee Mark Lyson Simpson with a little shake of the right hand and tries to get on the jab
23:02good double jab there from Shelley that's better from Shelley needs more of that then
23:08needs to bring the right hand in as well
23:21so
23:41then Shelley's just able to bob and weave a bit low at the waist Simpson then finds himself having
23:47to punch down and it's a difficult thing to do there's a jab again from Shelley
23:55a strong jab from Simpson Shelley's firing
23:59doubles and triple jabs it could do with firing the right hand straight off it
24:05once he finds a home he's got his range
24:10that's right as soon as the second jab lands throw the right hand straight away
24:14that was a good short right hand on the inside there though from Simpson
24:17short right hook cannoned off the side of the head of Shelley
24:25good left up underneath from Shelley
24:30you see again the attack is wild wide wild and misses
24:34so
24:42what they're saying to him i think that really is we're in touch here that was better
24:47we're still in this fight but he's got to start doing more we need more
24:54that's what the corner said anymore good right hand there from Simpson
24:57because you're in round nine now i don't know what the cards are but it's slipping away from him
25:07well i'll be honest with you 90s round nine you're a mile behind i think you're a mile behind i think
25:14you really need to start getting to work you know keeping elbows in a little bit on the inside and
25:18firing firing short shots on the inside not just swinging the same attack to a wide wide wide on
25:24the inside i think through eight rounds from where we're sitting the best you can do for
25:32Shelley is probably 6-2 in favor of Simpson yeah to be fair there are rounds in there where there's
25:40that both men are missing that much it's like who do you who do you feel is winning the round and
25:45because it's Simpson that is one that's putting the pressure on the moles he's the one that's
25:49probably going to get around on those you know that's it Simpson looks like the boss basically
25:56when we're not when not many shots are landing in a fight or in a round
26:00the guy that looks like the boss is the one that's going to get around
26:09Simpson again just moves him behind that left hand finds himself
26:13almost on top of Shelley and that's something that he's struggled with
26:19left hand into the body was a decent shot there from Simpson and again he shows that physical
26:29strength and the referee allows him just to throw Shelley into the ropes there you know Shelley's
26:34always backed himself as physically very very strong in his career and you know i think i think
26:40the one fight where he felt as though he wasn't was when he went up a weight division before
26:43Katie Davis and you know that was down to the weight he'd gone up a weight division that he
26:48wasn't ready for and tonight i think right from round one he's felt the physicality of Simpson
26:54and that's been a huge shock to him and it's something he's not actually been able to cope with
27:04through the right hand there off the back of the jab it seems to have too much effect on
27:09Simpson though who again just gathers those gloves moves in with that front foot just
27:14taking that space staying on top of Shelley
27:31that's a decent right hand from Shelley yeah i thought that i thought he walked onto the right
27:45he does it in such a way that taking that step back out and giving yourself room is hard
27:51i've always said that Shelley's got a very open rhythm so it it looks like he does leave a lot
27:56of gaps and he does but trying to time him can be quite difficult he's erratic isn't he and he
28:02swarms all over you and he does swing his chin down and swings sometimes but also Simpson's a
28:08little bit erratic as well so when you put those two together that's why there's a lot of missing
28:12going off in there there's a lot of energy a lot of work rate from both guys but there is a lot of
28:17missing and again they're a perfect example of something we've seen often since they're moving
28:22in behind the double jab getting into a decent kind of range and then finding it hard to really
28:28land on Shelley you've got a left hand away to the body and it's that torso almost that
28:33you're probably better off targeting rather than the head because the head is on the move 100
28:43you've got to remember as well in Callum Simpson he's learning he's learning you know under the
28:54spotlight he's learning on the job this is British and Commonwealth title shop but it's his first
28:58real you know real fight where he's in against you know a 50-50 opponent a quality opponent
29:07so he's doing a great job but the 12 rounds will be in the back of his head
29:11and I think he's managing that as well which he definitely needs
29:15at least these three rounds if not knockdowns he needs knockdowns yeah
29:25it's been competitive very competitive but it's just difficult to find that many rounds for him
29:35and his defense has always been double step back double step back so he's always finding
29:39himself on the road it's great rarely he'll just skip up to the side like that
29:49I think as Dave said usually Shelley's more physical more intense than his opponents where
29:55he hasn't he's not he hasn't been in there tonight Simpson's physical strength
29:59his size he struggled with it Shelley has he's found it really difficult to cope with it I think
30:06Simpson turning southpaw for the first time as we head towards the closing stages of round 10
30:12long left hand almost got through
30:17every time there's a bit of an exchange of the break up you see Shelley backs up and Simpson
30:21steps to him he's the one looking to initiate the attack really nice double jab there from Simpson
30:27and it's exactly in that kind of situation where he's pushed him back Dave
30:36where if he just dips his own knee Simpson and just tries to work that body just hit something
30:41and that's what I always think that Simpson's best work is when he slows himself down a little
30:45bit but tonight he's even when he's backed him up he's rushed to follow his attacks
30:52so into the 11th this is the first time that Simpson has been past 10 rounds but he's navigating
30:57it successfully up until this point
31:06now this is nice just a little change of shape there fading with the
31:10extending right hand a little bit something a little bit different
31:13not just rushing with a double jab double jab it shows up all the time
31:18it was that kind of reverse one two wasn't it led off with the right hand then
31:31stepped around almost with the left
31:39Shelley continuing to work hard he has done all the way through the fight he got through a tough
31:45start but he just hasn't managed to put a dent in Simpson at any point or really ever cause him to
31:53take a backwards step he's caught it with some shots but it's mainly been jabs as Simpson has
32:00been on the way in he's never really rocked him back on his heels no it's all it's it's
32:06it's been kind of reactive as well he's never really initiated or um you know took a foothold
32:12in the fight or dominated took control he's always kind of reacting to what Simpson is doing
32:17and I'll tell you from my point of view where I see it is he must know that he's a mile behind
32:22he must know that he's off the fight or he's losing the fight but he's not reacted like that
32:28he's not gone out to take you know to take full control because he knows he's got to chase he's
32:32got he's got you know keep hold of his belts he's almost trying to still trying to nick the fight
32:42heading towards the final minutes of round 11
32:46but I'll put that down to the fact that he's feeling whenever Simpson lands clear
32:51clean he's feeling the power he's feeling the physical strength
32:54you know the presence in the ring there's a big man is Calum Simpson
32:59it's almost like he's staying in the fight hoping Simpson will get to him
33:04Simpson looking to try and send that right hand Charlie comes back at him
33:09shuts out space down gets onto his shoulder
33:22to be fair Simpson's never really never looked tired at any point in his look
33:25like he's paced it perfect looks like he's got plenty left in the tank
33:29and his work there was non-stop round after round after round you know I've always known that he's
33:44got a good engine on him good use of the jab there from Simpson trying to find a little bit
33:50of room to get that right hand away before the referee the way we're looking at this
33:57Zach Shelly needs a knockout in this final round it's been very competitive all the way through
34:02but it's difficult to find that many rounds for him
34:07don't you look guys I couldn't hear what was said but I thought I heard him say you
34:10you know you need to stop him
34:27so
34:40the Simpson really has handled the pressure and the occasion very very well he's been relaxed all
34:46week but it's fine looking relaxed during the week but it's been exactly the same tonight he
34:51came and had a little look around when there were earlier fights going on which not everybody does
34:55he just wanted to see what he's like down ringside we've seen him backstage supremely relaxed and he
35:00stepped up and put on a really good mature performances I think how you would describe
35:06this because he had the quick start he could have been really gung-ho and gone looking for the
35:10stoppage he didn't he saw that it wasn't really there took his foot off the gas and that's just
35:16botched his way to a clear win yeah he's worked for it he's worked for his win tonight like you
35:21say he got he got the early success a lot of fighters that have just gone nuts on that one
35:25and gone for the quick stoppage especially in front of all the fans but he didn't he saw it
35:30wasn't there and he's worked his way there he's been the boss right from the very first bell and
35:36to be honest Trelley he's tried at times he's tried to nick the fight he's never really got
35:43in there and you know I don't know really got a hold of the fight as he's just trying to nick
35:49round steel rounds hoping that Simpson will tire or they'll come on in the second half he's never
35:54actually gone in there and took control of the fight perhaps that confidence just got shattered
35:59after that first round which is understandable and that mindset that he's had you have to give
36:06Simpson the credit for that because it's him that has done that yeah completely if Simpson hasn't
36:13allowed him to do to get it he's just about been able to stay in the fight and that's that's down
36:18to what Simpson's doing, Trelley just trying to work the body as we head into the final 30 seconds
36:25the crowd ready here to celebrate the win that they all came to see and we will be back here I'm sure
36:40well Simpson and Jeffers would be a big fight here wouldn't it, it's a good finish from Trelley
36:45Trelley just working away to the body there as the bell is about to go
36:50and there it goes a touch of voice between the two and you can see from the