Heartbroken British boxing champion fighting in honour of his little sister after her tragic death aged just 19
CALLUM SIMPSON begins honouring little sister Lily-Rae’s memory on Saturday night with his first British title defence.
On August 3, the Barnsley middleweight grabbed the Lonsdale belt with a classy Oakwell win over Zak Chelli.
And, in social media posts since shared by his broadcaster Sky Sports, his proud 19-year-old sibling was filmed singing her big brother’s name and celebrating his success.
Tragically, just two weeks later while on the first night of a holiday in Greece, Lily-Rae was in a road accident and eventually died after a 10-day coma.
The last six months have been brutal for the Yorkshire lad but he knows his No.1 fan would want him to carry on – and he can do so while paying a perfect tribute to her.
Ahead of his Sheffield bout with Steed Woodall, 28-year-old Simpson said: “People only die when you stop talking about them and forget about them.
“I will never stop talking about her. I will always say her name.
“Although it makes me upset, whenever anyone says her name or speaks about her, I smile and I laugh.
“Because I am just proud that she was my sister.
“I love to speak about her and I have a tribute to her on my kit for this next fight.
“Barnsley football club did a minute’s applause for her just after she passed away.
“I am glad everyone gets to see her beautiful face and see how beautiful she was.”
Simpson really does beam when he fights back tears to talk about her.
But the last six months have left him realising all the wonderful milestones they would have shared will now go unfulfilled.
He explained: “It was the first night of her girl’s holiday in Zante, she was on the back of a quad bike and it went around a corner too fast and she went over a verge and came off.
“She was airlifted from Zante to Athens and was then in a coma there for 10 days.
“And there were difficulties with an operation they were trying to do at the end of that and she sadly passed away.
“Other than her not being here, it’s seeing what it’s done to the family, my dad and step-mum and brothers and sisters.
“Knowing that she won’t be a bridesmaid at my wedding.
“Or be an aunty to my kids and they won’t get to meet her.”
In the chief support, Caroline Dubois defends her WBC lightweight world title for the first time against Jessica Camara and fancies tempting WBO queen Terri Harper with a big payday next.
“It’s up to Terri and her team,” the 23-year-old super-talent said.
“What I think will convince her is the money we put on the line and, once we do that, I am sure she will take the fight.
“But then I truly believe I stop her, just by being more aggressive.”