Katie Taylor's second victory over Amanda Serrano made her the most-watched Irish boxer in history, with 74 million viewers worldwide on Netflix.
Barry McGuigan drew an estimated 20 million pairs of eyeballs in the UK and Ireland when he defeated Eusebio Pedroza in 1985.
And now, Cobh's Callum Walsh could land somewhere between the two when he takes on fellow undefeated light middleweight Fernando Vargas, as the 'co-main event’ with Canelo Alvarez versus Terence Crawford on the streaming service in the small hours of Sunday morning.
The difference is that all of the others were/are fighting for world titles - undisputed in the case of Taylor and Alvarez - making this an astonishing opportunity for the 24-year-old, something which is not lost on him.
"To be the co-main event for this card is insane," Walsh, nicknamed 'King', tells RTÉ Sport.
"One of the biggest cards in boxing history, and at a massive stadium [Allegiant, home of the Las Vegas Raiders].
"When it came out that I was going to fight on the card, I was happy to just be on it. I didn't care whether I was going to be first fight of the night, or thrown in the middle of it. When they announced I was going to be the co-main event, I couldn't believe it really. What an accomplishment and what an opportunity for me.
"The fact that the fight is on Netflix is going to open it up to a lot more people. I think it's going to be very beneficial for everyone involved."
Walsh is based in Los Angeles and trains with the legendary Freddie Roach, who counts Manny Pacquiao, Steve Collins and Wayne McCullough among the 30-odd world champions he has moulded.
Holiday WORK #TeamWalsh #TeamFreddieRoach #TeamWildCardBoxing #wildcard #wildcardboxing #wildcardboxingclub #boxing #freddieroach #trainer #CallumWalsh #boxer #fighter #Ireland #Irish #boxinglife #fightlife #champion @WildCardBoxing1 @WCBstore @ufcstore @TomLoeffler1… pic.twitter.com/D2bSI3g9cK
— Freddie Roach (@FreddieRoach) December 25, 2024
Walsh had been planning to challenge Aidan Walsh (no relation) for the welterweight spot on the Tokyo Olympic team – he had lost the Irish final to the eventual bronze medallist aged 18 in November 2019 – but, frustrated by the Covid-19 lockdown delays, snuck into the US in January 2021 and called unannounced at the door of the Wild Card Boxing gym.
Roach (65), who believes continuing to train boxers helps him to manage the effects of Parkinson's disease, asked the multiple Irish and European junior amateur champion to spar with then-unbeaten welterweight Blair Cobbs to assess his potential, and was impressed enough to take him on. He made his professional debut that December.
"Freddie Roach is a legend," says Walsh. "He has had so much experience in the fight game and I don't think anything could take that away from him.
"When you first see him, you might think ‘Oh’, or whatever. But I've been around him for four years, I'm well used to Freddy and how he operates now.
"He still trains everybody, still holds pads for everyone, he's still the head coach. It [Parkinson's] doesn't really slow him down at all.
"It's good to train with someone like that, who is at the gym every day and loves to be there. He’s always up to something, he's a character."
Pacquiao has made a sensational return to the ring aged 46, not something Walsh envisages – "I barely see myself still fighting at 26!" – and though their paths have rarely crossed, the gym’s location in the heart of Hollywood ensures a regular crowd of well-known faces.
"I was usually training early in the morning, and then by the time I was leaving, he was coming in," he says of the eight-division former champion, who lost to Yordenis Ugas on points a fortnight ago.
"But it's definitely a different buzz around the gym when Pacquiao is there. There are so many fans showing up. You can really feel that he's there. It's crazy.
"I see a lot of actors train upstairs in the gym, whereas Freddie and his pros are downstairs. Freddie puts them through the same routine as us and they enjoy it.
"Last week I was training with The Script. Danny [O’Donoghue] was there training, they're actually there every week."
Roach has sharpened Walsh's skills but manager Tom Loeffler - who has represented the Klitschko brothers and Gennady Golovkin - played arguably the biggest role in his stunning rise by introducing the long-time MMA fan to UFC president Dana White on his 21st birthday.
White was impressed, came on board as a sponsor and facilitated coverage of the Corkman’s bouts on the UFC’s streaming service. He has now started Zuffa Boxing with Saudi state entertainment supremo Turki Alalshikh and Walsh is an instant beneficiary, appearing near the top of the bill in their first promotion.
Though a WBC Continental Americas title clash has no business being equated to Canelo and Crawford’s stellar undisputed super-middleweight showdown, Walsh’s propensity to end fights with devastating knockouts should make for both entertainment and exposure on Netflix.
Przemyslaw Runowski and Dean Sutherland had lost two and one respectively before facing the former Riverstown BC man in the last 12 months - that’s how many rounds each lasted too.
"I didn't get an opportunity because of my father's name. I have put in the hard work myself and I think it'll show on fight night"
Vargas (17-0-0), son of two-time light middleweight champion Fernando Snr, is unbeaten but has contested only three more bouts in his 28 years and had a shorter amateur career. Though a knockout percentage even higher than the Irishman's (88 v 79) suggests what the underdog’s game plan will be.
"I think it's going be a good fight," says Walsh. "He's undefeated, I'm undefeated. Somebody's going to lose.
"He has knockout power, and he has some skill. He has his father's name and genetics. But I think, all around, I'm a lot better fighter. I've had a lot more experience than he has.
"I feel like I've fought every style all over the world. I've been boxing since I was six years old. I've come from a massive amateur background, I've had 150 fights in Ireland. I didn't get an opportunity because of my father's name [Ian, for the record]. I have put in the hard work myself and I think it'll show on fight night.
"I think I'm the favourite for a reason. It's just kind of confirming my own thoughts but, still, I definitely will not underestimate him, because everyone has a puncher's chance. You don't want to get caught cold or just get caught with a stupid shot.
"I think that's his only chance, trying to just land that one shot and end the fight. The longer it goes, the better I'll get, and the more pressure I'll be able to apply. I'm going to take the fight very seriously and get the job done."
So nice we want you to see it TWICE 🥊@KINGCALLUMWALSH got it done in front of his home crowd! 🇮🇪
— UFC (@ufc) September 20, 2024
[ #WalshRunowski | #JoshuaDubois LIVE on Saturday ] pic.twitter.com/fJAyRdDx9C
Even White is unlikely to be able to make a world title shot the next step – Walsh is ranked seventh by the WBC and ninth by the IBF – but it won’t be too far away if he takes care of business in front of 60,000 fans and the millions watching around he world.
"I definitely expect, if I win this fight, to jump up in the rankings, and fight some ranked names," he says. "Get my name out there more, and get a lot closer to the title shot."
"It doesn't really matter how many people are watching or who's there or whatever. You have a job to go out and do, you have to go out and win the fight. There's a lot of risk involved, and you just have to concentrate.
"You don't really hear much, anyway, when it's all going on. I think I'll be fine on the night. I can enjoy it after, once I have the job done."
For the man who hurled with Cobh GAA underage and played Gaelic football with LA Cougars, it is also a chance to put a smile back on some faces in his native county, having previously told RTÉ Sport of his dream of fighting at Páirc Uí Chaoimh
"I watched the All-Ireland in an Irish bar ,at a hotel in Abu Dhabi [where he was cheering on his UFC fighter girlfriend Tabatha Ricci].
"Great first half and I don't really know what happened then. Hopefully, it'll be a better night for Cork on 13 September!"
