Zuffa Boxing Launches with Walsh-Ocampo Clash on Paramount+
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A new era in boxing is set to begin, as Zuffa – the parent company of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) – will launch Zuffa Boxing on Paramount+ with a compelling matchup between undefeated Irish prospect Callum Walsh and veteran Carlos Ocampo on January 23 in Las Vegas.
The event, announced on Friday during an appearance on “The Stephen A. Smith Show,” will take place at the UFC Apex, just one day before UFC 324 at T-Mobile Arena, headlined by a lightweight bout between Justin slaveje and Paddy Pimblett. This strategic placement underscores Zuffa’s intent to capitalize on its existing combat sports audience.
Walsh Headlines Inaugural Event
Callum Walsh (15-0, 11 KOs), a 24-year-old junior middleweight, has garnered significant praise from Zuffa executives, including UFC CEO Dana White. Many of Walsh’s previous fights have been featured on UFC Fight Pass, building his profile within the combat sports ecosystem. He most recently secured a narrow unanimous decision victory over Fernando Vargas Jr. in September, as part of the undercard for the Terence Crawford-Canelo Alvarez fight.
“Callum, undefeated, 15-0, and it’s the main event,” a senior official stated. “Should be a badass boxing event.”
Ocampo Brings Experience to the Ring
Facing Walsh will be Carlos Ocampo (38-3, 26 KOs), a 30-year-old fighter with a wealth of experience. While he has suffered three losses, those defeats came in title fights against formidable opponents: current unified junior middleweight champion Sebastian Fundora, former unified welterweight champion Errol Spence Jr., and Tim Tszyu. Ocampo has won his last three bouts since the loss to Tszyu in June 2023.
“We have this kid named Ocampo, who is a seasoned veteran,” a company release noted. “His only losses are in title fights – three title fight losses. He has more knockouts than Callum has fights.”
Zuffa Aims to Disrupt Boxing Landscape
Dana White has been vocal about his dissatisfaction with the current state of boxing, and Zuffa Boxing represents a bold attempt to address perceived shortcomings. The promotion intends to establish its own world titles and ranking system, and, crucially, to prioritize compelling matchups.
“I’ve been talking smack about boxing for a long time, and now it’s time for me to put my money where my mouth is,” White said. “I’m going to get rid of the sanctioning organizations. The best will fight the best. We’re going to sign all the young, up-and-coming guys.”
The goal, according to White, is to create a system where an undefeated record truly signifies something. “If you break into the top 10, and you’re still undefeated, your undefeated record means something,” he explained. “Everybody’s undefeated in boxing because nobody fights anybody, right? Everybody will fight everybody.”
Zuffa Boxing’s debut promises a fresh approach to the sport, one focused on delivering the fights fans want to see and establishing a merit-based ranking system. The Walsh-Ocampo bout will be a crucial first step in realizing that vision.
