Cobh's Callum Walsh defends title at Madison Square Garden

There was even a tenth round knockdown of the champion to contend with but by then it was too little too late as reflected in the scorecard, 97-92, 97-92, 96-93.

“I was happy with the fight,” Walsh said afterwards as he held a ceremonial silver ticket gifted to him by The Garden in tribute to his first fight at the famed venue.

“I was happy that we put on a good, entertaining fight. I was happy that the opponent wanted to put on a fight and wanted to win.

“It was a good ten rounds, I'm going to learn a lot from that. I'm only 22-years-old. He was definitely a real fighter so yeah I'm happy, very happy.” 

Callum Walsh of Ireland reacts after winning by unanimous decision over Ismael Villarreal (not pictured) during their WBC Super Silver Welterweight Title fight at The Theater at Madison Square Garden on November 09, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

With Dana White, WWE legend Triple H and boxing great Larry Holmes among the attendees there to enjoy a riveting contest not to mention the boisterousness of the Walsh supporters, this won’t be the last time he gets to fight at the Garden. The quest to find a new Irish star to fill out the Theatre looks like it might be gathering some momentum.

But the Bronx boxer was in no mood to make it easy for the star attraction, drawing Walsh into a brawl at the end of the third and the start of the fourth.

However, the Freddie Roach–trained southpaw delivered a big jab that quelled things for a round and a half before it sprang into life again at the end of the sixth, the taller Walsh finding himself pursued inside relentlessly by his energetic opponent.

“He landed some good shots, don't get me wrong, but I have a good chin and I was never really hurt at any stage,” insisted Walsh who proceeded to box mostly clever until that knockdown halfway through the tenth and final round.

“These things happen, you get hit but I don't think I was hurt. I got caught by a shot and tripped over but I don't think I was dropped.” 

Villarreal leapt in celebration but it was too little too late as the champion took the contest to the final bell and lapped up the adulation of a solid set of new fans.

“These fights are going to make me better,” Walsh said.

“I was trying to show my boxing and my speed and in the eighth round, I must have hit him eight or nine punches in a row.

“My hands were getting sore, he's got a big strong head but like I said I'm going to learn from this. It was a good experience. I wanted to finish him but it didn't happen. Maybe if we had gone to 12 rounds.” 

His only other regret? The venue playing the wrong walkout song, almost destroying a moment he had been dreaming about his entire life.

“It was his hometown. My first fight at Madison Square Garden, my first big, proper fight. The crowd was great even though they played the wrong walkout song,” he laughed, “but they got it right at the end.”