Callum Simpson's manager Kevin Maree has full belief the popular super middleweight will still reach the top.

The 29-year-old from Barnsley has been positioned as a chief cornerstone for BBC's return to big time boxing but on December 20, Troy Williamson dropped him four times before a 10th-round stoppage during his debut in-front of terrestrial TV cameras.

Simpson (18-1, 13 KOs) may have lost his undefeated record and British, Commonwealth and European 168-pound titles but not his sense of perspective.

He has battled through tough times outside the ring and made the stratospheric rise to stadium headliner against the backdrop of tragically losing his sister Lily-Rae in 2024.

Maree believes that he has the ideal character and attitude to get back on track.

"He's a very, very special individual and this is why - and it sounds ridiculous coming off a defeat - I’m even more convinced that Callum is going to make it," Maree told The Ring.

"We all went back to the dressing room and everybody's bottom lip was out. It was really sombre, really quiet. Callum came in and he went, 'For God's sake, guys, nobody's died. I've lost a boxing match. I'll win it again.'

"He's got an elite mindset, and I've always known that about Callum. Straight away, everything was just a matter of fact in his opinion. 'Listen, we're having a rematch. I was awful tonight, but I know I can put it right, and we will put it right. Let's get to work.'"

Simpson's determination to put things right is illustrated by deciding upon activating his rematch clause, getting Williamson back in the ring.

After the fight, speculation from outside Simpson's camp centred around whether he should take a different route rather than seeking an immediate return or even move up to light heavyweight. Neither suggestion was ever a serious option for him.

Maree believes he knows where things went wrong first time around and is fully behind Simpson's decision to plunge on with what will be a make-or-break night in his career.

"We've met since then and talked about where we want to head," Maree said.

"Weight categories, analysing things and he's adamant. We’ve looked at everything properly and agree the rematch is right for him next, that's what's going to happen."

Williamson's win saw him move up to No. 6 in the IBF 168-pound rankings. The sanctioning body's highest-ranked contender, Osleys Iglesias, awaits clarity on who he'll box for the world title Terence Crawford vacated - Williamson is the highest-ranked available option.

Last week, the 34-year-old told The Ring that whilst he was happy to fulfil his contractual obligations and face Simpson again, he was hopeful that timelines would allow him to fight Iglesias for the IBF title first.

That now looks very unlikely to happen. Although the details are still being ironed out, the rematch looks likely to take place in Yorkshire around late spring or early summer.

Although he will be disappointed, Williamson will need to quickly focus on the positives. He will enter the return supremely confident of beating Simpson for a second time and victory would only improve his ranking with the IBF.

"Troy's a great lad who I really like. It's not like someone's sticking one over Troy or holding anybody back. We've actually done him a massive turn giving him this shot," Maree said.

"The other thing is this will now be a very big fight. There's going to be a lot of interest in this fight now, people wondering how it's going to go - a massive fight for him on the BBC. For both fighters, profile-wise, it's a huge fight now, no doubt about it at all. By the time everything starts ramping up and we start building up towards it, it's going to be a big fight."