Six months ago Troy Williamson was searching for relevance. Today, he’s a phone call away from a potential world title opportunity. Williamson’s stunning resurgence continued on December 20, when he stopped Callum Simpson to capture the British, Commonwealth, and European super middleweight titles.
The statement victory didn’t just deliver belts it vaulted Williamson to No. 6 in the IBF super middleweight rankings, placing him firmly in the conversation for a shot at world championship gold. Now, with the IBF title picture in flux, Williamson finds himself in an unexpected but enviable position.
IBF Title Picture Opens Up
Earlier this week, The Ring reported that both Canelo Alvarez and Jaime Munguia declined the opportunity to fight unbeaten Cuban contender Osleys Iglesias, the No. 2-ranked super middleweight who is seeking to claim the IBF title recently vacated by Terence Crawford.
With elite names stepping aside, the search for a willing challenger continues. Hamzah Sheeraz, ranked No. 5 by the IBF, appears to be pursuing an alternate route potentially a WBO clash with Diego Pacheco.
That leaves Williamson next in line.
“That’s what I’ve seen,” Williamson told The Ring. “I think Sheeraz is going down the WBO route to fight Diego Pacheco. I’m next in line, so I can’t see why the phone won’t ring.”
Rematch Clause Looms But Time Matters
There is, however, one complication: a rematch clause with Simpson.
As of now, Williamson says Simpson’s team has not activated it. If they do, Williamson wants clarity and action quickly.
“I know there’s a rematch clause with Simpson, so I don’t know how that’ll play out,” Williamson said. “But hopefully within the next couple of days we have some sort of news.”
Simpson (18-1, 13 KOs) had been penciled in for a summer return at Oakwell Stadium in Barnsley, his traditional open-air homecoming venue. Williamson is willing to honor the rematch but not at the expense of momentum.
“Yeah, I can’t sit out for six or seven months, definitely not,” he said. “Obviously I’ve got a family I need to take care of.”
Williamson would prefer a March rematch, noting contractual timelines may require it to happen by early April. If Simpson wants to wait until June, Williamson has another plan.
“If he wants it in June, then I’m happy to go the IBF route,” he said. “Obviously win that and come and have my first defence against Callum.”
From No Man’s Land to Opportunity
The turnaround has been dramatic. In April 2025, Williamson found himself adrift after suffering a third straight defeat a loss to Jahi Tucker at middleweight that left his career at a crossroads. A move up to 168 pounds changed everything.
First came a stunning knockout of highly regarded Mark Dickinson. Then came the Simpson fight, where Williamson entered as a sizable underdog but never doubted the outcome. That belief has now translated into leverage something Williamson admits is new territory.
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Robert LaMar is a writer for Dice City Sports. You can follow him on X via @RobertLaMar26
