“People forget I’m only 24” — Callum Walsh reflects after tough Apex win
Callum Walsh admits he remains a work in progress despite being a headline act after extending his unbeaten record with a ten-round win at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
The Cork southpaw overcame a rugged Carlos Ocampo in the first-ever Zuffa Boxing headliner, winning a bout that proved tougher than many expected, as the Cobh man endured a flash knockout down and the Mexican proved his resilience thereafter.
While it was a display the soutpaw wasn’t overly happy with, he was delighted with another win and more lessons learnt.
As a headline act since fight number 2, ‘The King’ has been in the spotlight from nigh on day one. That glare has increased with the backing of Dana White, as well as the fact that he is Zuffa Boxing’s main man. The fighter is aware that those factors may prompt fans to overlook that he is a young boxer developing into a contender.
“I still wasn’t too happy with the performance,” he admitted. “But at the end of the day, he’s a solid veteran — a guy who’s fought good fighters and only really been beaten by the best of them.
“He was very awkward. He was doing weird things that I didn’t even know what to do with at times,” he said. “It was tougher than I expected, but he had a good chin and he was a good opponent.”
Despite not getting the stoppage he craved, Walsh believes the experience will prove invaluable at this stage of his career — particularly given his age.
“People forget I’m only 24,” he stressed. “I’m fighting grown men. I’m still going to get stronger and better each fight.”
That learning curve, Walsh says, is exactly what he needs as he continues to rise.
“As long as I get the win, I’m grateful for the experience. That’s what it’s all about right now.”
