Walsh secures dominant win at Zuffa Boxing’s debut.

  • January 24, 2026

  • Authored by Andreas HaleJanuary 24, 2026, 12:31 AM Eastern Time

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      Andreas Hale serves as a combat sports journalist for ESPN, reporting on mixed martial arts, boxing, and professional wrestling. Outside of his professional life, he enjoys video games, is deeply passionate about music, and supports the White Sox and 49ers. He also co-hosts Sirius XM’s Fight Nation. Prior to his tenure at ESPN, Andreas held positions as a senior writer for DAZN and Sporting News. His career began in music journalism, contributing to platforms like HipHopDX, The Grammys, and Jay-Z’s Life+Times. Additionally, he received an NAACP Image Award nomination as a producer for the 2024 animated short “Bridges.”

LAS VEGAS — On Friday evening, at the inaugural Zuffa Boxing showcase held within the recently refurbished Meta Apex, the unbeaten Callum Walsh secured a unanimous decision victory against Carlos Ocampo in the headline bout.

Walsh, boasting a record of 16-0 with 11 knockouts, consistently started and concluded offensive sequences against Ocampo, frequently landing a forward-driving left hand. The official scorecards from the judges favored Walsh with tallies of 98-90, 98-90, and 97-91.

“I perform at my best when it matters,” Walsh commented. “I seize every chance presented to me, and absolutely, facing a superior opponent always elicits an improved Callum Walsh. I am prepared for any challenge.”

Both Walsh and Ocampo exhibited a limited use of jabs, instead opting to alternately charge in with powerful strikes. Walsh connected with more precise shots, whereas Ocampo neglected to respond to apparent openings, thus permitting his adversary to dominate the contest.

Despite Walsh maintaining a comfortable lead, the official declared a knockdown against him in the sixth round under dubious circumstances. A strike to Walsh’s shoulder disrupted his equilibrium, causing his hand to briefly touch the floor. Later, Ocampo faced a penalty for a debatable low blow in the ninth round.

Hailing from Ensenada, Mexico, Ocampo, whose record stands at 38-4 with 26 knockouts, has historically struggled in higher-tier matchups, having suffered defeats to Tim Tszyu, Sebastian Fundora, and Errol Spence Jr. Following his loss to Tszyu in 2023, Ocampo recorded three consecutive knockout victories, though against less formidable opponents in Mexico, preceding his bout with Walsh.

The 24-year-old Walsh has received praise from Dana White for a considerable period, with numerous of his contests showcased on UFC Fight Pass prior to his official signing with Zuffa Boxing. Walsh’s previous outing was a unanimous decision triumph over Fernando Vargas Jr. in September, serving as the co-main event of the Terence Crawford vs. Canelo Alvarez card, and he expressed satisfaction with his display against Ocampo.

“I believe my skills have advanced since my previous match,” Walsh stated. “My stamina felt significantly better. I’m only truly content with a performance if I achieve a knockout. However, completing all 10 rounds is beneficial. The caliber of opponents is steadily increasing. [Ocampo has] competed against top-tier fighters. It proved to be a valuable experience. Overall, it was a positive evening, and I’m pleased to secure the victory.”

This middleweight showdown marked the main event for White’s much-anticipated foray into the sport of boxing. Following nearly a decade of hinting at establishing a boxing promotion, the initiative finally materialized last year when White declared that TKO Group Holdings, the parent company of the UFC, would venture into the boxing sector under the moniker Zuffa Boxing. This endeavor is a collaboration with Sela Sport, supported by Turki Alalshikh, who chairs Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority.

The boxing showcase occurred the evening preceding UFC 324, an event scheduled to unfold just a few miles away from the Meta Apex at T-Mobile Arena. The inaugural Zuffa Boxing event drew an audience including mixed martial artists from the UFC, professional boxers, and WWE luminaries.