“I’m bringing that UFC mindset to boxing,” and Callum Walsh, Ireland’s No. 1 boxing star, proved he was right. Yesterday, the 24-year-old sensation delivered one of the most explosive performances of his career. In just his third appearance at New York’s iconic Madison Square Garden, live on UFC Fight Pass during the St. Patrick’s Day weekend, ‘King’ stunned his by scoring a concussive KO win via a right hook over his Scottish foe Dean Sutherland at the 2:45 mark in the opening round. Moreover, the UFC head honcho Dana White was ringside to support the undefeated Irish star.
Naturally, many are already calling it a strong contender for the 2025 “Knockout of the Year.” White, who has big plans for his newly minted boxing league set to debut in Las Vegas this September, clearly knows the star power ‘King’ is bringing to the sport. When referee Ricky Gonzalez halted the fight without a count, the head honcho was the first to congratulate Walsh on his fourth consecutive knockout. With 11 knockouts in 13 wins, Walsh firmly established his “King” status.
It is safe to say that his girlfriend and UFC strawweight contender Tabatha Ricci couldn’t contain her excitement. She shared the moment on Instagram with the caption, “What a night.” A separate video captured the bossman standing beside the ring, shaking the Irishman’s hand in congratulations. White later shared the celebration on his own Instagram story, writing, “Congrats.”
Now, Callum Walsh is being widely regarded as the “next” Conor McGregor in several ways. Dana White, who has worked closely with ‘The Notorious’ over the years, shares this sentiment. Their collaboration over the past decade helped the UFC break PPV records and set new standards for live gate numbers.
With White now venturing into boxing through a partnership with Saudi boxing promoter Turki Alalshikh, the upcoming Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford fight is already generating buzz. Dana White also hinted at Walsh for his new boxing league. With another victory in his corner, the Irishman had a powerful message for both his fans and his opponents. Let’s take a closer look.
Callum Walsh claims that Dana White has “plans” for him
“I was born for this,” were Callum Walsh’s first words after delivering a knockout to Dean Sutherland without the need for a count. While many considered Sutherland to be one of his toughest challenges leading up to the fight, the Irish star quickly proved them wrong. Moving up to a new weight division, Walsh successfully defended his WBC Continental Americas Super Welterweight title against the Scottish fighter. After his dominant victory on Sunday night, Walsh confidently declared, “I am destined to be the best fighter in the world.”
For the unversed, Dana White made an unexpected trip to Ireland after UFC 306 to support Callum Walsh in his homecoming fight against Przemyslaw Runowski. With unwavering determination, Walsh added, “I could fight again tonight if they want, or next week. Who knows? Dana White is here, and he has big plans. Put any man in front of me, and I’ll take him out.” With his growing win streak, Walsh is becoming an increasingly formidable southpaw.
UFC Fight Pass presents Boxing from the 3Arena, 3Arena, Dublin 20/9/2024 Callum Walsh vs Przemyslaw Runowski – WBC Continental Americas Super Welterweight Title UFC CEO and President Dana White congratulates Callum Walsh after the fight Dana White congratulates Callum Walsh after the fight 20/9/2024 PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxUKxIRLxFRAxNZL Copyright: x INPHO/LaszloxGeczox LG_014571
As of yesterday morning, he was ranked 26th globally, but after his latest victory, he has surged to 15th, while still holding the No. 1 spot in Ireland with an impressive 80.62% knockout rate. Now that Callum Walsh has added another win to his record, do you think he has the potential to be the next big thing for Dana White in boxing?
The man is trained by the legendary Freddie Roach (who also trained Manny Pacquiao and cornered GSP for his UFC 217 return). Moreover, he is promoted by Tom Loeffler, the man who shaped the careers of Gennady Golovkin and the Klitschko brothers – Vitali and Wladimir. It is therefore natural that Walsh would make his name inside the Octagon when the time comes.
Moreover, Tabatha Ricci has mentioned that ‘King’ isn’t particularly fond of boxing and is more focused on pursuing a future in MMA. What do you think the future holds for Walsh in combat sports? Share your thoughts below.
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