Callum Walsh has made clear he would rather share a ring with Aaron McKenna for a world title than answer Stephen "Stevie" McKenna's call-out, arguing that any all-Irish showdown only makes sense when a belt is on the line.
Walsh, unbeaten at 16-0 with 11 knockouts, steps in against former European champion Tyler Denny on the undercard of Aaron McKenna's IBF world middleweight title clash with Etinosa Oliha at Dublin's 3Arena this Saturday, shown live on Sky Sports.
The Walsh-Denny fight is one of six middleweight bouts stacked onto the bill, and it sits beneath the main event where Aaron McKenna chases the vacant title. According to CBS Sports, the Walsh-Denny contest is scheduled for 10 rounds, while McKenna's tilt at Oliha for the vacant IBF world title is set for 12.
Elsewhere on the card, Stephen McKenna (16-1, 15 KOs) faces Owen O'Neill over eight rounds before switching roles entirely to work the corner for his younger brother Aaron in his world title bid.
Stephen McKenna has publicly floated Walsh as a future dance partner, but the 25-year-old Walsh, still unbeaten, made it plain he sees himself operating on a different plane entirely.
Asked about the challenge from McKenna, Walsh told Sky Sports:
"If there's anyone that I'm looking at, it would be the fella with the world title, not the fella with the loss."
"In my mind, it doesn't make sense unless it's for a world title. There are bigger names than Stevie McKenna calling me out."
"Shane Mosley Jr is a bigger fight than Stevie McKenna. His brother Aaron is fighting for the world title. If I was going to fight either of them, I'd fight Aaron for the world title."
'It makes sense for him, not for me'
Walsh's worry is that an all-Irish fight without championship stakes could stall the surge of interest currently building around Irish middleweights, rather than accelerate it.
"It's a big time for Irish boxing. As an Irish fighter from such a small place, there are three of us now in Zuffa Boxing. Why would we want to eliminate each other unless it's for a world title?"
"If it's for a world title, at least you can get paid for it. You're going to be able to sell out an arena and put on a big show for everyone involved. Why have an all-Irish fight on an undercard somewhere when it doesn't make sense?"
"It makes sense for him. It makes no sense at all for me. His brother's fighting for the world title. There are bigger names calling me out. I've had bigger fights. It doesn't make any sense."
Walsh went further, suggesting Stephen McKenna's priority should instead be settling unfinished business from his sole professional defeat, a majority-decision loss to Lee Cutler back in 2024.
"He doesn't even want to fight the fella who beat him. He was asked if he wanted a rematch and he said no."
"Go back and fight the fella who beat you. That's the one I'd be looking at if I was him. He's in the same division, the same league, and he's begging for the rematch."
Notably, according to Sky Sports' Toe2Toe podcast, Stevie McKenna had already been openly pushing for a fight with Walsh before this latest response, underlining that this is not a fresh grievance but an ongoing pursuit. Sky Sports has also separately profiled Stephen McKenna's role at this event, describing him as the brother tasked with helping launch Aaron's world title bid on the night, as detailed in a separate Sky Sports feature.
'I'll fight Aaron or the other fella'
This will be Walsh's first appearance in Dublin since he stopped Przemyslaw Runowski in two rounds back in 2024, and he sounds confident of beating Denny while backing Aaron McKenna to become Ireland's next world champion.
Should both men win, an all-Irish world title fight would suddenly look a very real and highly marketable prospect, and Walsh says he wouldn't hesitate to take that fight if McKenna emerges from Saturday as champion.
"I don't know much about his opponent, to be honest. I'm sure Aaron will win. I presume he will."
"It's a big opportunity and a big night for him to go out there, perform and win the world title in Dublin. I think he will."
"If Aaron wins and they want me to fight him, I'll fight him. If he doesn't win, maybe I'll fight the other fella."
"I just fight whoever they tell me to. I'm not out here calling anybody out. It's just the same old habits."
What happens next
Zuffa Boxing 10 marks the promotion's first event staged in Ireland, according to Boxing News, with Aaron McKenna's IBF title challenge against Oliha as the headline attraction and Walsh's bout with Denny serving as the co-main event. The show forms part of a wider multi-year broadcast arrangement between Zuffa Boxing and Sky Sports covering the UK and Ireland, as reported by Split Decision, which also lists a start time of approximately 7:00 PM BST with coverage on Sky Sports Action.
The card has also been bolstered by the addition of Joe Ward and Connor Coyle, according to Fightnews, adding further depth to an already packed bill at the 3Arena.
Both McKenna and Oliha have already made weight for their vacant IBF middleweight title clash, as confirmed in our earlier coverage, with McKenna insisting he is prepared for whatever the Italian brings on the night. The full Zuffa Boxing 10 card, headlined by Aaron McKenna against Etinosa Oliha, goes out live on Sky Sports this Saturday.
