Popular Scottish cruiserweight Stephen Simmons has retired from boxing as the IBF European champion at the age of 33.

Edinburgh's 'Monster' won the belt by beating Simon Barclay in October last year but has opted to hang up his gloves in the wake of March's British title defeat to Matty Askin.

Simmons (18-3-KO7) said: "It's time to enjoy spending more time with my wife and baby. I'm happy and content with retiring at this stage of my career.

"I've done a lot in boxing and am thankful for all it's given me and taught me. I've been boxing almost 22 years and my body can't take the same strain and pressure as it used to.

"I've been around the world and made many friends in boxing and other sports.

"I'd like to give thanks to everyone who sponsored me during my career and my management at MTK Global, all the coaches I worked with and especially my amateur coach and uncle Kenny Simmons and my final professional coach, Billy Nelson.

"I'd also like to thank my family, friends and fans who've given me such great support since I was a kid. I had 115 amateur fights and 21 as a pro. I'm retiring with a defeat to Matty but I'm still retiring a champion.

"I'll be back in the sport in one way or another soon but for now it's time to focus on my family and watch my son grow up first-hand rather than through videos and pictures."

Simmons turned professional in 2011 and won his first 11 contests. In 2016, he faced Noel Gevor for the WBC International cruiserweight title and was only denied a step up to world level by a controversial points defeat.

Wednesbury welterweight Sam Evans is looking to crash, bang, wallop his way to boxing stardom.

The exciting ‘Ultimate Boxxer’ tournament at the Manchester Arena on Friday, April 27 offers life-changing prize money from a pool of £50,000 – and the chance to become a British boxing's newest star.

Celebrities will be at ringside and big entertainment acts will perform on a night when eight unbeaten fighters go toe-to-toe over three-round fights in front of millions of internet fight fans.

The winner of three, three-round fights will win the top prize and Evans is convinced that will be him.

The 21 year old said: “My aggression, workrate and toughness will win me fights. I will take a few to land a few. I’m looking forward to having three dog fights,”

“I’m going to go for it. You have to be tough to win three fights on the same night – and I’m tough enough to do it,"

“I’m moving down in weight, so will be strong and I’m going to make the fights gruelling for my opponents.

“There isn’t time to look at your opponents and give rounds away, you have to get stuck in from the start,”

“I’m going to throwing lots of punches. I will be fighting at a high pace from first bell to last,”

“This is a massive opportunity, the chance of a lifetime really,”

“You’ve got eight unbeaten lads in ‘Ultimate Boxxxer’ and doors are going to open for the winner.”

Formerly under Ultimate Boxxer ambassador Ricky Hatton, Evans is now working with Errol Johnson and Paul Mann at their gym in Wednesbury.

“We’re working hard in the gym,” said Evans, “I’m ready to fight with all guns blazing.

With Rising Promotions North Jersey Debut quickly approaching, the card is shaping up. In the Main Event, local favorite Darren “Venom” Goodall (5-0,3KO) of Wyckoff, NJ will go up against against Talik Taylor (3-10) of Freeport, NY over six rounds on a show full of local up and comers.

In the newly announced co-feature, Pleasantville’s Anthony “Juice” Young (18-2,6KO) will go up against his toughest test to date in Enver Halili (10-1, 3ko) from the Bronx.

Young looks to settle the score with the Halili name, after suffering a TKO defeat to Enver’s older brother Skender Halili (16-2 13ko) in February of 2016.

The Young/Halili fight will be taking the spot of co-feature after Rising Promotions’ own Thomas “Cornflake” LaManna has decided to sit this one out. “The business side of things are getting busy in my career and I have to be on point at all times. I do not feel a rush to get back into the ring and risk what I am currently working on. I’ll be back, no later than july, but for now I would like to focus on my business and my family” LaManna, who is expecting a baby girl in May, said regarding his decision to step back and focus on his duties as promoter for this go round.

As far as fighters who will be getting in the ring on April 21 at The Arena in Paramus, NJ the list has grown to include the aforementioned Enver Halili, as well as other local prospects. In a 4 round Cruiserweight bout, Charles Jefferson from Lacey, NJ making his pro-debut against Leon Johnson (2-0) of Paterson.

In a 8 round  Welterweight bout, Reading PA’s Kashon Hutchinson (3-4, 1 KO) will be facing off against Yurik Mamedov (8-1) from the not so local Yaroslav, Russia.

Alberto Delgado (0-2-3) from Roanoke, VA and Michael Bynum (0-2) from Rocky Mount, NC will be making the trip to Paramus to face Omar Salem (2-0) and Rising Promotion’s Nahir Albright (3-1) who hail from Brooklyn, and Philadelphia, respectively.

Also making a trip across the pond is Tomas Romain (6-1) of Champigny, France (now residing in Brooklyn, NY)  who will be fighting Middletown, NJ’s Tyrone Luckey (9-8-2).

Orange New Jersey’s Steve Moore (0-3) will be seeking his first win against Brooklyn’s Laquan Lewis (2-9) in a 4 round Welterweight bout.

Tickets can be purchased at www.RSPBoxing.com

Ticket Prices: $55, $80, $150

Saturday, April 21, 2018, 6pm

The Arena Sports Facility. 859 NJ-17. Paramus, New Jersey