Walsh clarifies stance on all-Irish matchups
Unbeaten prospect Callum Walsh (16-0, 11 KOs) has firmly rejected the prospect of a domestic showdown with Stephen McKenna, arguing that such a fight lacks strategic merit. Ahead of his appearance on the Zuffa Boxing 10 card at Dublin’s 3Arena this Saturday, Walsh emphasized that he would only entertain an all-Irish clash if a world title were at stake.
Walsh is set to face former European champion Tyler Denny on the undercard of the main event, which features Aaron McKenna challenging for the IBF world middleweight title against Etinosa Oliha. While Stephen McKenna has publicly targeted a fight with Walsh, the 25-year-old dismissed the challenge, citing his own progression and the lack of incentive in fighting a domestic rival who has already suffered a professional defeat.
Prioritizing world title opportunities
"If there's anyone that I'm looking at, it would be the fella with the world title, not the fella with the loss," Walsh stated. He suggested that Stephen McKenna should instead focus on avenging his 2024 majority-decision loss to Lee Cutler. Walsh maintained that fighting a fellow Irish boxer outside of a championship context would only serve to stifle the momentum currently building within the Irish boxing scene.
Conversely, Walsh expressed openness to a potential future bout with Aaron McKenna, provided the latter secures the IBF title this weekend. "If Aaron wins and they want me to fight him, I'll fight him," Walsh said. "If it's for a world title, at least you can get paid for it. You're going to be able to sell out an arena and put on a big show for everyone involved."
Looking ahead to Zuffa Boxing 10
The upcoming card in Dublin represents a significant moment for Irish middleweights, with six bouts in the division scheduled. Walsh returns to the Dublin ring for the first time since his second-round knockout of Przemyslaw Runowski in 2024. As he prepares for Tyler Denny, Walsh remains focused on his own trajectory, noting that he is content to face whoever his promotional team selects, provided the stakes align with his career goals.
The canvas was a dull, bruised violet under the harsh glare of the overhead lights.
