Cobh to New York: No nonsense Callum Walsh getting busy for the Garden

'You could think about it too much and feel under pressure, but you have to go in there and win. That’s it. Do you know what I mean? It’s on you. Go in and do my job and I can enjoy it after'

Callum Walsh warms up in the dressing-room ahead of his super welterweight title fight against Ismael Villarreal at the Madison Square Garden in New York. Pic: Sarah Stier, Getty Images

Is this real life? 22-year-old Callum Walsh walks into a south Dublin café accompanied by his girlfriend, MMA fighter Tabatha ‘Baby Shark’ Ricci and a UFC communications manager for his eighth interview of the day.

After an hour he has to depart with two more media obligations to come. Being a pro boxer has its payoff and it has a price.