Callum Walsh vs. Carlos Ocampo headlines first Zuffa Boxing event on Paramount+

The boxing world is officially entering a new chapter. UFC CEO Dana White’s controversial expansion into professional boxing has its marquee moment set, with the highly touted Callum Walsh squaring off against the battle-tested Carlos Ocampo in the main event of Zuffa Boxing’s inaugural offering on Paramount+.

Dana White tells Stephen A. Smith the main event for the first Zuffa Boxing event is Callum Walsh vs. Carlos Ocampo. pic.twitter.com/JvvyRQ13sS

— Jed I. Goodman © (@jedigoodman) January 9, 2026

The January 23 show from the UFC Apex in Las Vegas represents a pivotal moment for TKO’s ambitious venture into the sweet science, arriving just one day before UFC 324 takes over the T-Mobile Arena.

Dana White confirms Callum Walsh vs. Carlos Ocampo headlines the FIRST Zuffa Boxing event at the UFC Apex on January 23rd. #ZuffaBoxing01

(via The Stephen A. Smith Show) pic.twitter.com/tbQwg5uxiC

— COMBAT SPORTS TODAY (@CSTodayNews) January 10, 2026

Walsh, an undefeated prospect carrying a pristine 15-0 record with 11 knockouts, has been positioned as the face of this new era. For years, White has championed the 25-year-old Irish-American fighter through UFC Fight Pass broadcasts, and his headline spot confirms Walsh as the promotion’s anchor tenant. The junior middleweight phenom’s loyalty to White—expressed in a September interview where he pledged unwavering allegiance to the UFC boss—appears to be paying immediate dividends with this prime promotional real estate.

Good Lord “King” Callum Walsh pic.twitter.com/6qJsATqMAc

— Liam Picks Fights (@LiamPicksFights) March 17, 2025

Through his brief professional career, Walsh has methodically worked through lower and mid-tier opposition, compiling an impressive resumé that has earned him IBF rankings as the number four junior middleweight, alongside WBC number five and WBO number thirteen placements. Most recently, Walsh secured a unanimous decision victory over Fernando Vargas Jr. on the undercard of Terence Crawford’s striking upset over Canelo Alvarez, demonstrating his ability to perform under high-profile circumstances.

Yet Walsh faces a quantum leap in competition in Ocampo, a battle-hardened veteran carrying a 38-3 record with 26 knockouts. While Ocampo’s ledger contains three defeats, these losses reflect the fighter’s willingness to challenge elite company rather than protective matchmaking. His setbacks came against none other than Errol Spence Jr. in a 2018 IBF welterweight title fight, Sebastian Fundora for an interim WBC title in 2022, and Tim Tszyu in a 2023 WBO interim clash—with both Spence and Tszyu dispensing brutal first-round stoppages.

Since the Tszyu defeat, Ocampo has rebounded with three stoppage victories, though against modest opposition. Nevertheless, his experience against elite-level competition should provide Walsh with the stiffest test of his professional journey to date.

This clash marks a defining moment for Zuffa Boxing’s viability in a crowded combat sports landscape.

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