Even fight royalty Roach feeling pressure ahead of Walsh's homecoming

Freddie Roach has worked with champs like Manny Pacquiao, James Toney, Miguel Cotto and UFC star George St-Pierre. On Friday he brings Callum Walsh home

Cork Boxing: Riverstown Boxing Club members with Callum Walsh, Tom Loeffler and the legendary Freddie Roach. Super Welterweight Walsh was paying a visit to his amateur club ahead of his WBC Continental Americas title fight in the 3 Arena in Dublin on Friday. Picture: Doug Minihane

Bright lights, don’t blink. Callum Walsh’s long-awaited homecoming on Friday night at the 3Arena is a privilege and brings pressure. The Cork super-middleweight knows it. So does his Hall of Fame trainer, Freddie Roach.

There is a bit of pressure on all of us,” Roach said.

“We all have to show up. We all have to win. I will get Callum ready for this fight. You and everyone else will enjoy it.

“I feel he is going in the right direction. A good win here will get us more fights like this or even big fights back in America. He is happy to be in training camp and he is working hard. I believe in that. Work hard and good things will happen.”

It is over three years since Walsh turned up at Roach’s Wild Card gym during Covid in search of a spot to train. Since then, he has amassed an 11-0 record and won the WBC Continental Americas Super Welterweight title. He has a 9-0 knockout record. Przemyslaw Runowski (22-2-1) has never suffered a KO. Unstoppable force, immovable object.

It has all the components for a night of fireworks. Roach is confident they will ignite them.

“Walk the walk. That is why he is a professional fighter. This is serious business. People love winners. Especially in boxing, you win and you are a hero.”

Long before Walsh, before the seven Trainer of the Year awards, before he worked with the likes of Manny Pacquiao, James Toney, Miguel Cotto and UFC star George St-Pierre, before he trained 40 world champions, Freddie Roach was a boxer. That spirit never left him. The now 64-year-old enjoyed over 50 bouts and 40 triumphs.

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)

He loved the sport. He sees that in Walsh too. At home between the ropes.

“We are fighters,” explained Roach. “We want to fight as soon as possible and as often as possible. I remember I fought like 36 years in my first pro year. I enjoy fighting, I like beating the best and showing the people who the best is. I didn’t always do it. But I surely tried.

“We both have that inside of us. We are both hungry to win. He is cocky about that,” he said with a smile. “I may be also.” 

This week Roach was back in Cork, 28 years after he was there in the corner for Steve Collins’ 1995 world-title victories over Chris Eubank at Millstreet and Páirc Uí Chaoimh. He visited Walsh’s old gym at Riverside Boxing club in Glanmire.

“It has changed somewhat. It has been a while since I have been here. I was anxious to come back and get this fight going. Steve Collins was a great fighter in his day and I love working with guys who can fight.

“I’m surprised (at Walsh’s support) but he has always been a popular person. He fights hard all the time. He never gives up. He will fight to the end. That is what I love about him.” 

On the undercard, Dublin heavyweight Thomas Carty (8-0) takes on Jacek Chruslicki (8-0). Former Olympian Emmett Brennan faces Kerry’s Kevin Cronin for the Super Middleweight Celtic title. Craig O’Brien will take on Limerick’s Edward Donavan for the Super Welterweight Celtic title.

It is a stacked card but that is no guarantee of a successful occasion. The pressure surrounding Friday reaches right to the top. Walsh has a long-standing relationship with UFC President Dana White, who has been heavily involved in organising this event. Tom Loeffler, who steered the career of middleweight legend Gennady Golovkin, is his promoter.

The 3Arena is a difficult venue to sell out. Ireland has not been a welcoming host for big boxing cards. Initially Walsh wanted a homecoming in Cork, this could still be the foundation that allows them to build to there.

For Roach, he always knew that his fighter wanted to come back home. Everyone is backing him to deliver.

“From right back when we first started working together, he was very vocal and very sure of himself. He knows he is a great fighter. He just wants to show me how good he really is.”