Callum Walsh takes on Dauren Yeleussinov in the second MSG main event of his career
Junior middleweight prospect Callum Walsh will face Dauren Yeleussinov tonight at The Theatre inside Madison Square Garden in New York City. The 10-round bout will headline a card promoted by Loeffler and will stream live on UFC Fight Pass (7 p.m. ET/ 4 p.m. PT).
At Thursday’s weigh-in, both Walsh and Yeleussinov weighed in at 154 pounds.
The 23-year-old Walsh (9-0, 8 knockouts), who is originally from Cork, Ireland and now lives and trains in Hollywood, California, also fought his last fight at The Theatre in Madison Square Garden back in November, overcoming a knockdown to win a hard-fought unanimous decision over Ismael Villarreal.
Walsh’s growth and popularity are no accident, as Walsh’s fan-friendly style and his marketability are just a few of the reasons promoter Tom Loeffler signed him to a promotional deal before turning pro in December 2021 after a successful amateur career.
“Callum has been a pleasure to work with,” Loeffler told The Ring in a recent interview. “His talent is exceptional and it’s no accident he was a six-time Irish National Amateur champion. We always thought his style was more suited for the professional ranks. Under the guidance of (trainer) Freddie Roach, he has excelled thus far as a pro. He’s not afraid to fight anyone, as was the case in fighting Villarreal is his last fight. The level of competition he has faced is not full of blown-up records.”
Over the last several months, fight cards promoted by Tom Loeffler have been streamed on UFC Fight Pass. The cards have allowed Walsh and other prospects and unbeaten fighters to be well-known by boxing and UFC fight fans.
Walsh has become well-known amongst fans of UFC and media who cover the sport. Walsh has attended a handful of UFC cards, where he is introduced to the crowd or is accessible to the media. UFC President Dana White has been ringside to several of Walsh’s fights and has also been involved in his career thus far.
Last month, Walsh attended a taping WWE ‘Monday Night Raw’ card at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California, where he was shown to the sold-out crowd. His fight against Yeleussinov was also mentioned by WWE play-by-play announcers.
Over the last several months, Walsh has fought on cards in the Los Angeles area, namely the Commerce Casino, Boston, and New York City. Walsh’s fight on St. Patrick’s Day last year was at the Agganis Arena in Boston, where the venue was almost full.
Tonight’s fight card, according to Loeffer, is trending to be a sell-out, playing on Walsh’s popularity and the marketing aligned to St. Patrick’s Day.
Loeffler, who has guided the careers of Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko, Gennady Golovkin, and Shane Mosley, believes Walsh’s talent and popularity will continue to grow.
“Callum will be headlining at Madison Square Garden for the second time in four months,” said Loeffler. “This is only his 10th fight as a pro. At 23 years old, he’s the fastest rising star in boxing and has the full support of the UFC platforms, including fighting on UFC Fight Pass.”
Walsh fought four times in 2023 and it will be interesting to see how many times he fights this year.
Yeleussinov (11-3-1, 10 KOs), who is originally from Kayindy, Kazakhstan and now resides in Brooklyn, New York, lost by split decision to once-beaten prospect Pius Mpenda in his last bout on October 29.
The 37-year-old Yeleussinov has won three of his last five bouts.
Francisco A. Salazar has written for The Ring since October 2013 and has covered boxing in Southern California and abroad since 2000. Francisco also covers boxing for the Ventura County (California) Star newspaper. He can be reached at santio89@yahoo.com
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