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Walsh hungry for Celtic crack after dispatching Orlik in one

By Steve Wellings

Dee Walsh limbered up for a possible title fight on June 6 with a one-round blowout of Hungary’s Peter Orlik last Saturday. Dee could now defend the Irish title he won against Terry Maughan last year or even step across to box at Celtic title level.

“I want the Celtic title next and that’s what Mark [Dunlop, promoter] has planned for me anyway. Hopefully that’ll get me en route for a British title,” said Walsh.

Even though referee John Lowey’s intervention may have been deemed a little premature, there was no danger of Orlik lasting the distance let alone winning the fight. Dee says that despite what it seemed like outside of the ring, inside the ropes he was hurting his Hungarian foe with every shot.

“Everybody says that about my stoppages but I can feel it right up my arm. Everytime I hit him he didn’t want to know. He wobbled so I stepped back and then hit him again and that was when John Lowey stepped in. I hit him with a right hand straight away and everytime he came in he had the head down because he didn’t want to get on top of it. He had a bit of a cut on his eye too and that was down to the uppercut.”

Perhaps a solid, competitive opponent capable of going a few rounds would benefit Walsh’s progression as he chases down domestic rivals? Not a bit of it. Dee knows he can do distances after some solid sparring sessions at the St. John Bosco gym.

“I’m not so worried about the rounds because I get my rounds in the gym sparring with Joe [Hillerby] and Frankie [Carrothers]. I could’ve done 10 rounds in there tonight,” he said.

“This is the hardest hitting light-middleweight right now in the world,” added trainer Gerard McCafferty. “No doubt about it. There’s no light-middleweight that will stand with this man. We’ll fight for a Celtic title or defend the Irish title on June 6.”

Steve Wellings writes the Irish Boxing Review books.

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