Irish boxing sensation Callum Walsh is going all in on Dana White’s vision for the sport.
Earlier this year, White announced that he was finally getting into the boxing business after more than a decade of rumors and speculation. Though details remain under wraps, the UFC CEO ruffled some feathers when he revealed that this new boxing endeavor would function outside of the sport’s four major governing bodies — the WBA, WBC, WBO, and IBF — and utilize the UFC model to rank fighters and crown champions.
Walsh excited for ‘UFC’s version of boxing’
While not everyone is on board with White’s attempt to restructure a centuries-old sport, Walsh believes White’s vision is exactly what the boxing world needs right now.
“This is a new era of boxing,” Walsh told MMA Junkie. “This is what we’re trying to do. This is what Dana White’s involved in. You know, we’re not putting on shitty fights where people are going to run around the ring for 10 rounds, you know what I mean? This is—the UFC’s version of boxing and we’re going to fight. We’re going to put on entertaining fights and yeah, it’s going to be a good one.
“I’ve been around it with the UFC for a while and I always hoped that boxing would get the same idea, you know, make things a lot easier for the fighters for the week… The meals you get, they supply the weight cut stuff, the UFC staff are unbelievable. They make it very easy. And I think this is how boxing needs to be.”
Touted as boxing’s next big thing, Walsh (14-0) will step into the co-main event spotlight this Saturday night as part of the Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford card in Las Vegas. There, ‘King’ Callum will square off with fellow undefeated fighter Fernando Vargas Jr. (17-0).
