There are many different ways of getting a promising fighter to world title level.

Some are cleverly manoeuvred through the rankings towards mandatory challenger status whilst some jump the line, taking calculated gambles and picking off older, established names.

Others benefit from taking slow but steady steps to the top.

It is two years since Callum Simpson, 17-0 (12 KOs), made his Sky Sports debut with an eye-catching stoppage of Celso Neves but, by that point, the 28 year-old super middleweight from Barnsley had already completed the thorough small hall apprenticeship his manager, Kevin Maree, likes his prospects to go through and landed on television screens as a fully formed prospect.

Having brought him so far, Simpson’s team didn’t allow him to be thrown to the wolves. His education has continued and over the past eight months he has begun to show signs that he has the potential to develop into a genuine threat at world level.

Last August, he shouldered the responsibility of carrying an outdoors show in his hometown and attracted 7,000 to Oakwell Stadium his British title fight with Zak Chelli. Simpson handled both the occasion and the awkward Chelli to announce himself as a significant player on the domestic scene.

Simpson lost his sister, Lily-Rae, in tragic accident just weeks later but used the loss as a source of motivation and, in January, he returned to action and took his game to a new level by knocking out the solid Steed Woodall in the second round. He was back in the ring just three weeks later to defend his Commonwealth title against Elvis Ahorgah.

On June 7th, Simpson returns to Oakwell for a vacant European title fight against undefeated Italian puncher, Ivan Zucco, 21-0 (18 KOs).

This time, there will be a round 15,000 in attendance to witness his latest test.

“I think in this game it’s all about levels and stepping up in levels. I believe that I've done it the right way. I've done it the traditional route,” Simpson told The Ring.

“Area titles, international titles, British and Commonwealth titles. I've come along the traditional route, picking up all the traditional titles and the next step is naturally the European.”

This weekend in Saudi Arabia, Ring Magazine and WBC, WBA and WBO 168lb champion, Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez will look to regain his undisputed super middleweight title when he fights undefeated IBF champion, William Scull.

Although Scull will have designs on changing the established order of things, Alvarez remains the undoubted leader of the division but, in behind him, there are a group of fighters who are all desperate for their opportunity to prove themselves and take over the Mexican great’s mantle.

Simpson’s ticket selling ability and platform on Sky Sports all but guarantee that he will get a shot at world honours as long as he can remain undefeated but beating Zucco and winning the European title will put him directly in the mix.

“That's it and I believe I'm going to be that next man and the next one to come through,” he said.

“I know Canelo's fighting this weekend - I believe it’s against William Scull - and I’m expecting him to win that but, you know, I'm planning on winning the European in June.

“I’ll be defending it at the end of year and then pushing on to world title eliminators and world titles by the end of next year.

“I definitely won't be overlooking anybody. He's had more knockouts than I've had fights so I'm guessing he's going to be a big puncher. I never overlook anybody and I definitely won’t be overlooking Ivan Zucco either.”