Callum Walsh feels UFC support as he pushes forward in boxing run
Callum Walsh talks to MMA Junkie and other reporters at media day for his boxing match against Fernando Vargas Jr. at Canelo vs. Crawford in Las Vegas.
LAS VEGAS – Callum Walsh has long been positioned for TKO Boxing – before TKO Boxing was even a reality.
As the UFC drew big numbers post-COVID-19 era, Dana White embarked on various side projects like his competing bull Twisted Steel, a since-canceled “The Ultimate Surfer” reality series, and competitive slap league Power Slap.
But perhaps the prime long-term investment was that of Callum Walsh. Suddenly, a young rising Irish boxer was being promoted through UFC social media channels. His fights were on UFC Fight Pass. White had long aimed to enter boxing and, in a small way, did so with Walsh.
It was unclear what exact role White was playing. Tom Loeffler of 360 Promotions was his promoter, but White appeared to be in an advisory role. Now with the official launch of TKO Boxing, perhaps the investment in Walsh is a bit clearer – and Walsh wants to be the face.
“This is the new era of boxing,” Walsh told MMA Junkie and other reporters at a pre-fight news conference Wednesday. “This is what we’re trying to do. This is what Dana White is involved in. We’re not putting on sh*tty fights where people are going to run around the ring for 10 rounds. This is the UFC’s version of boxing. We’re going to fight. We’re going to put on entertaining fights. It’s going to be a good one.”
“… “I’d love to be the face of TKO boxing. I’d love to be the man Dana and Tom and everyone sends out to fight anybody. That’s what it’s about for me. I don’t want to be hyped up as 30-0 and never fought anyone. I want to be the guy that they’re like, ‘We’re looking for a fighter. Callum will fight him. Send him out. He’ll fight. He’ll put on a show. Everyone will be happy.’ Fans will show up to the fight because they’ll know I’m going to show up and fight. That’s the thing for me: show up, be entertaining, and give people their money’s worth.”
Walsh (14-0) faces Fernando Vargas (17-0) in the co-main event of the Canelo vs. Crawford card Saturday at Allegiant Stadium. It’s not every day two fighters with a moderate amount of fights and undefeated records agree to square off in the boxing world. Walsh says fight fans can get familiar with him fighting tough challenges, however, even if it means he loses his “zero” in short order.
“Obviously with the Floyd Mayweather thing, everybody wanted to be 50-0,” Walsh said. “Everybody wanted to be undefeated. But at the end of the day, I’d rather have a record of 20-5 and every single fight I’ve been in, people have enjoyed, and people have come to see my fight because they know it’s going to be a fight rather than people know barely who I am and they’re going to be falling asleep in the crowd and I’m going to be fighting a 10-round decision every time. I think it’s the promoters, too. Because of the way boxing has gone, it’s easier to promoter the undefeated prospect and someone with a losing record because of this mentality. But I think with Dana and Zuffa Boxing and TKO and the way this is going, it’ll make people realize that you’re just going to see good fights. Records don’t matter as long as you’re fighting high-level fights. Whether you win or lose, people need to be entertained. I think the MMA fans will enjoy it a lot more, too.”
