Dana White-backed Callum Walsh controversially moves to 9-0 despite knockdown in 10th round; WWE's Triple H and Nick Khan watch
Undefeated Irish boxer Callum Walsh maintained his perfect record with a controversial unanimous decision win against Ismael Villarreal in the headline match of a seven-fight card held at the Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
In attendance ringside were legendary boxer Larry Holmes, alongside high-profile figures such as UFC CEO Dana White, WWE president Nick Khan, former professional wrestler Paul 'Triple H' Levesque, and the super lightweight boxing champion Teofimo Lopez.
Despite facing a head butt, a low blow, and experiencing his first career knockdown, Walsh displayed remarkable resilience, concluding the fight with a 9-0 record. Villarreal noted a knockdown in the 10th round, just over two minutes before the final bell. Although 'King' appeared more fatigued than hurt when he rose, Villarreal couldn't floor him again before the fight concluded.
In the waning moments of the bout, an aggressive Villarreal landed two powerful right hands on Callum Walsh, but it proved insufficient for victory. The judges' scorecards favored Walsh with scores of 97-92, 97-92, and 96-93.
Tabatha Ricci envisions Callum Walsh's future in the UFC
Callum Walsh's girlfriend and UFC fighter, Tabatha Ricci envisions the possibility of them sharing the same fight card in the future. Meanwhile, Walsh has also expressed his strong interest in MMA and a willingness to compete in the UFC.
During a recent episode of MMA Fighting's Trocação Franca podcast, 'Baby Shark' disclosed that Walsh is more inclined toward MMA than traditional boxing:
"He doesn’t like boxing, he only does it because he’s good. His dream, what he really wants to do, is to fight MMA. He doesn’t even follow boxing that much, he does it because he’s really good at it. He really wants to come to MMA."
Walsh shares a strong connection with UFC CEO Dana White, who has been noted to endorse him on occasion. Ricci is confident that once Walsh decides to transition, the UFC will undoubtedly offer him a contract. She remarked:
"Dana White loves him and he’s doing super well [in boxing]. He’s crazy fast and hits really hard. We train together, and he’s always training and helping with Tony Ferguson in camp, doing some jiu-jitsu and playing around. I do think he will come to MMA in the future."