By Sean McDaniel: Former Commonwealth featherweight champion John Simpson (23-9, 10 KO’s) ended his two-fight losing streak with an impressive 6th round TKO win over former British featherweight champion Paul Appleby (18-4, 11 KO’s) on Friday night at the Kelvin Hall, in Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom.

Simpson, 28, knocked the heavy and sluggish looking Appleby down twice in the 6th to get the stoppage. The finisher came from a looping right hand that pitched Appleby over face first on the canvas where he laid for some time before they were able to get him to his feet. The fight was immediately halted by referee Howard John Foster at 2:25 of the round. Appleby’s nose was bleeding at the time.

Simpson was the much busier and quicker fighter throughout, landing combinations to the head and body at will. Appleby would land an occasional shot or two, but for the most part he couldn’t let his hands go. Having seen Appleby fight on numerous occasions, he appeared to be heavy, as if he put on too much weight after the weigh-in. He might want to consider moving up to lightweight because he looks too big for super featherweight.

Simpson dominated every round except the 5th. That was the only round where Appleby was able to let his hands go with any regularity. Simpson was so much faster than Appleby, and unlike in his defeats to Lee Selby and Stephen Smith, Simpson wasn’t facing someone with a lot of power to worry him.

In the 6th, Simpson knocked a tired and beaten looking Appleby down with a right hand to the head. Moments later, Simpson finished Appleby off with a big right that knocked Appleby down face first on the canvas.

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Making his first fight in seven years, former WBO lightweight champion Scott Harrison (26-2-2, 15 KO’s) completely destroyed 18-year-old Hungarian fighter Gyorgy Mizsei Jr. (7-1, 3 KO’s), beating him by a 4th round TKO. The 34-year-old Harrison knocked Mizsei Jr. down four times in the fight – three times in the 2nd round from left hooks to the body and a final time in the 4th round from three consecutive right hands to the head. Harrison looked very impressive in attacking to the body with left hooks and right hands. He had Mizsei Jr. running around the ring trying to avoid him. It was no use. Harrison was too good at cutting off the ring and he punished Mizsei Jr. with most body shots until taking him out in the 4th.

Other results on the undercard:

Stephen Simmons Pts 6 Jevgenijs Andrejevs
John Thain Pts 6 Tony Randell
Hugh Gray Pts 4 Billy Smith
Michael Roberts Pts 4 Craig Johnson