At 24, Callum Walsh is ready to make a serious impact in boxing. The Cork-born fighter has worked his way up the ladder, faced tough competitors, and has never opted for the easy route.
Ireland has produced many elite level boxers. Jimmy McLarnin, Barry McGuigan, Carl Frampton, and Wayne McCullough come to mind. Katie Taylor has led boxing in the country over the last few years, while Lewis Crocker and Paddy Donovan will become the first Irish fighters to compete against one another for gold.
Walsh is ready for the mantle to get passed to him.
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A special pet project of UFC CEO Dana White’s, Walsh will fight Fernando Vargas Jr. in the co-main event of Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford on September 13, 2025. Walsh is ready to make the most of the opportunity presented to him early on in his career.
“I’ve been boxing since I was six years old and was a six-time Irish champion and European gold medalist. I came on the scene recently, but I’ve been working for this my whole life. It feels great that it’s finally paying off on a worldwide stage,” Walsh told The Ring.
The Sporting News looks into the career of Walsh.
Who is Callum Walsh?
Walsh, trained by Freddie Roach and promoted by Tom Loeffler, is a six-time Irish champion and a European gold medalist. He turned pro in 2021 and has amassed a 14-0 record.
“King” won three fights in 2023 via knockout. As his skills progressed, so did the level of opposition, facing fighters with years of experience.
Walsh’s most impressive win early in his career was a unanimous decision win against Ismael Villarreal. He has since topped that with five straight wins, with four via knockout. Headlining a show in Dublin, Walsh needed less than two rounds to take out Przemyslaw Runowski.
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Walsh battered Dean Sutherland early on in 2025. He beat Elias Espadas after earning a technical decision. The fight was called in the fifth after Walsh suffered a nasty eye gash that needed to be looked at. While disappointed, it was a learning experience for Walsh.
“Callum showed the reason why he’s considered the fastest rising star in boxing, with his speed and power along with fighting through a bad cut in the second round from an accidental headbutt against an always dangerous veteran in Elias Espadas. He demonstrated a great deal of poise,” Loeffler said.
Who is Tabatha Ricci?
Walsh is currently dating UFC fighter Tabatha Ricci. Both are under the TKO banner and represented by Dana White.
A black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Judo, Ricci (12-3) stood out while with LFA. She joined the UFC in 2021 and is 7-3 in the octagon. “Baby Shark” is 3-1 in her last four fights, beating the likes of Tecia Pennington, Angela Hill, and Amanda Ribas.
