'I don't need to suck up to anyone' says Dennis Hobson

Hobson pulled no punches on the Barnsley super middleweight's backroom support.

And the Fightzone boss also stirred the pot on heavyweight David Allen, saying the Doncaster man could beat Deontay Wilder and Anthony Joshua.

Below Dennis has his say in his regular question and answer slot in The Star.

Callum Simpson won the European title against Italian Ivan Zucco but was knocked down a couple of times - did you expect the fight to be that difficult for him?

"I think he’s starting to become complacent, and that’s down to his team.

"He’s got ability, but his team are cheerleaders, and that’s when you can get complacent.

"If he was with somebody with experience, as experienced as us, I don’t think that would have happened.

"He’s got ability to burn but, for me, is not with the right team and that's not sour grapes.

"We’d have kept him grounded because I think he’s starting to believe his own hype. The people around him are just back slappers who don’t want to get thrown off the gravy train.

Even when I had Ricky Hatton, I used to have words with him about some of his antics while he was not in training.

I was never afraid to say anything to him, and he was a superstar and a lot bigger than what Callum is.

I’m not afraid to say what I think because I’m not in boxing for the money.

"I’m a bit unique because I earn money outside boxing and don’t need to suck up to anybody.

"Callum’s got talent, but he’s surrounded by sycophants, and I think complacency set in.

"It was the same with Ben Whittaker though, and then you saw what he did to Liam Cameron second time around.

"I think that’s what will happen with Callum, hopefully he’s learned, but I do question the team around him."

Dave Allen’s emphatic win over Johnny Fisher: does it tell us more about how much Dave has left, or was Johnny Fisher overrated?

"I obviously wanted Dave to win. I did think Johnny Fisher was overrated but I also think that people underrated Dave Allen.

"I was managing Dave up to a few months ago, and when he turned pro, I gave him the nickname ‘The White Rhino’.

"He had his stint with Eddie Hearn, who threw him in with people like Luis Ortiz and Dillian Whyte, and then there was the David Price thing.

"He wanted to come back and just do some tick over fights, so I relaunched him and then he went off and did his own thing again.

"I really like Dave and have always thought he’d got ability, but he was lazy.

"People were saying, ‘Why is he coming back?’ But I still thought he had plenty left, if he applied himself.

"Now he’s applying himself, he’s got the bit between his teeth and I think he’ll trouble a lot of people.

"I think he’s capable of knocking out the Bronze Bomber (Deontay Wilder) because I think he’s ‘done’, and I would put him in with the likes of Derek Chisora and Whyte again, I think he’s on that kind of level.

"I would even put him in with Joshua at this moment and I think he’ll give Joshua trouble because I think he’s past his sell-by-date.

"Dave’s still got plenty left and he’s going to be in some big money fights.

"He’s very popular and it’s just a shame that we’re not managing him any more, but it’s just one of those things.

"Everybody else has had the best version of Dave Allen, except me! I wish him well though, I do like Dave, we get on really well.

How disappointing was it when your recent Sheffield show was cancelled?

"It happens unfortunately, but it was postponed rather than cancelled. We’ve just put it back until the later date of July 19.

"All the kids on the show will still be getting the opportunity to fight, there will be two Commonwealth fights, a British title on there, and Nicola Hopewell in a world title fight.

"The card was just decimated, unfortunately, but boxing’s not like football where you have a reserve team to put out instead.

"So, I was disappointed to a degree, but was always looking for another date.

"The fighters are still getting their opportunities, but just a few weeks later, so it’s not a major thing, although we obviously don’t like having to postpone."