World-ranked Cork middleweight “King” Callum Walsh got the action-packed encounter he had expected en route to a 10-round unanimous points decision over former European champion Tyler Denny at Dublin’s 3Arena last weekend. The non-title contest was the co-feature to Aaron McKenna’s IBF world championship victory over Etinosa Oliha in the same weight division.
Ranked #6 by the IBF and #12 by the WBC, the Los Angeles-based Walsh upped his record to 17-0 [11 KOs] while staying in contention for a world title tilt himself. Denny, out of the West Midlands in England, dropped to 21-5-3 [1 KO].
The bout got off to a dramatic start when Walsh, squatting low to avoid a Denny flurry in the opening stanza, ended up touching the canvas with his left glove – a knock down in boxing.
But he leveled the scoring on the cards in the second round by flooring his man with a vicious left hook to the chin. Denny beat the count but was groggy. Later in the round, Walsh had him on the ropes with a combination, as an early knockout appeared imminent.
But the Englishman proved durable and would stay in the fight until the final bell. This, after a bizarre eighth round when both men – Walsh first – were deducted a point, presumably for holding.
There’d also be a cut inflicted on Walsh’s left eyebrow from a clash of heads. He won by scores of 98-91 [twice] and 96-90.
Walsh had gone into the match promising an action-packed encounter. He got one.
Light heavyweight Joe Ward dug deep to defeat the previously unbeaten Artjom Kasparian via a 10-round decision. It was unanimous but close in a fight replete with ebbs and flows.
Joe Ward lands a punch on Artjom Kasparian. [Inpho/Gary Carr]
Kasparian, an impressive 14-0 [12 KOs] going into the match, was the aggressor in the early rounds, proving a handful for Ward whose attention he caught often. But the Athlone native, a southpaw, turned it around halfway through the contest with some solid uppercuts and combinations that had his Russian-born Dutch opponent on the verge of going down a few times.
In the end, Ward got the nod on all three cards -- 97-93 [twice] and 96-94. The 32-year-old improved to 13-1 [8 KOs]. Six of Ward’s 14 professional fights have been at New York’s Madison Square Garden.
Also victorious on Zuffa Boxing’s Irish debut card was Connor Coyle who defeated Mark Beuke over 10 rounds. The Derryman, who’s been training and fighting out of Florida for several years, pounded out a 98-92, 97-93 and 98-93 decision.
And Patrick O'Connor, a 21-year-old Irish-American out of Washington, DC, defeated Juan Manuel Moriel by technical knockout in the first round.
Sean Creedon adds:
Monaghan boxer Aaron McKenna produced a composed and dominant performance against previously unbeaten Etinosa Oliha to claim the IBF world middleweight title in his first professional fight on Irish soil at Dublin’s 3Arena on Saturday night.
The 27 year-old from Smithborough, extended his perfect professional record to 21-0 after controlling much of the 12-round contest to claim a unanimous decision victory at Zuffa Boxing 10. McKenna earned scores of 118-110, 117-111 and 116-112 on the judges’ scorecards to hand the Italian his first professional defeat.
Afterwards, McKenna, who is known as “The Silencer,” reflected on fulfilling a childhood ambition after nine years as a professional without fighting in Ireland. He said: ‘‘A new world champion. I said it for years. Since I was 6 years old, I thought about this moment my whole life, so for it to finally happen at 27, it goes to show everyone, don’t give up, always stay true to yourself, and you can do anything.’’
Aaron’s brother Steve also won a fight in Dublin on Saturday night and Aaron paid tribute to their father Fergal, saying: ‘‘Our dad, he has sacrificed his life for us. He was a carpenter then he left that to go to LA with us so he is basically dedicated just as much as we have and that’s what you need in life, you need someone there to look after you behind the scenes, not just in the boxing ring but outside the ring also. The business side of things are tough and to have someone that we can trust is great.”
