Fighting on home soil for the first time in two years, world-ranked middleweight “King” Callum Walsh is promising an action-packed encounter with fellow southpaw and former European champion Tyler Denny in their scheduled 10-rounder at Dublin’s 3Arena this Saturday.
Ranked #6 by the IBF and #12 by the WBC, the undefeated Los Angeles-based Corkman [16-0, 11 KOs] could move closer to a world title shot with a commanding victory over Denny, a 21-4-3 [1 KO] prospect out of Rowley Regis, West Midlands. At 35, the Englishman is Walsh’s senior by 10 years.
Walsh returns to the 3Arena for the first time since a memorable second-round knockout victory over Przemyslaw Runowski in 2024.
He believes boxing fans have yet to see his best as he prepares to face Denny, reports Boxing News 24/7. And he intends to raise the pace from the opening bell and deliver a performance that confirms his progress.
According to Boxing News, Walsh acknowledged that Denny will present a legitimate test but made it clear he has no intention of boxing cautiously. Instead, he plans to press the action from the opening bell.
“I think I need to mix up, definitely more aggressive, 100%, and not let him get in that groove,” Walsh said. “Bring the fight to him.”
His preferred outcome is a stoppage. “My plan is to definitely be aggressive and try to finish the fight,” Walsh added, while saying he’s prepared to box hard for the full 10 rounds if necessary.
He dismissed predictions from fans expecting Denny to pull off the upset, insisting he’s preparing to deliver the type of statement performance that has eluded him despite remaining unbeaten.
Joe Ward. [Inpho/Laszlo Geczo]
The main event on the Zuffa Boxing card features Las Angeles-based Monaghan transplant Aaron McKenna [20-0, 10 KOs] and Italy’s Etinosa Oliha [22-0, 10 KOs] in a 12-rounder for the IBF world middleweight title. It will be the first middleweight world title fight on Irish soil in more than three decades. It will also mark the first fight for McKenna in his homeland, where he was a stellar amateur with more than 150 wins and eight national championships.
McKenna who’s 26 and ranked #2 by the IBF, returns to the ring following a dominating decision victory over former world champion Liam Smith in London, England in April 2025. McKenna is also ranked #10 by the World Boxing Council [WBC].
Ranked #2 by the IBF, Oliha is a year older and will be hoping to spoil McKenna's homecoming. He’s beaten the four previous undefeated fighters that he’s faced as a professional career.
In other bouts on the show, light heavyweight title contender “Mighty” Joe Ward, a 2016 Olympian from Athlone, ends a two-year layoff with a 10-rounder against the unbeaten Artjom Kasparian.
Ward [12-1, 8 KOs] has won 12 consecutive fights since suffering a dislocated left knee against Marco Delgado in his 2019 professional debut. He avenged that loss to Delgado in 2021 and has won four straight by stoppage. Kasparian [14-0, 12 KOs], who was born in Russia, raised in the Netherlands, and now fights out of Altrincham, England, has knocked out his last seven foes.
Six of Ward’s 13 professional fights have been at New York’s Madison Square Garden.
Undefeated middleweight Connor Coyle [22-0, 10 KOs], a Derryman who usually trains and fights out of Florida, makes his first appearance in Dublin since 2017. He squares off with upset-minded American Mark Beuke [13-3, 7 KOs] in a scheduled 10-rounder.
Also on the card is rising Irish-American cruiserweight Patrick O’Connor [3-0, 3 KOs]. He meets fellow unbeaten Ibrahim Mercan [6-0-1] in a six-rounder. O’Connor was a 2024 U.S. National Champion as an amateur before turning pro in June 2025.
