The Birth of Zuffa Boxing: Walsh v Ocampo Preview and Prediction

Callum Walsh (1.16) v Carlos Ocampo (5.00) (Junior Middleweight)

5 AM Saturday SA time

There are two quotes from White’s two most-famous allies that perfectly describe Zuffa Boxing’s mission statement.

The first came from Conor McGregor, who, early in his rise to becoming the biggest superstar in UFC history, said of Irish mixed martial artists, “We’re not here to take part, we’re here to take over.”

The other comes from White’s best friend, US president Donald Trump, who has vowed to “Make America great again.”

White is determined to ‘make boxing great again’ and to take Zuffa Boxing from a new contender stepping into the ring for the first time this weekend to the undisputed king of the sweet science. On one hand, he’s planning a hostile takeover, and on the other, he’s set to play the long game.

“I’ve been talking smack about boxing for a long time, and now it’s time for me to put my money where my mouth is,” White said in a recent interview with Stephen A. Smith. “I’m going to get rid of the sanctioning organisations. The best will fight the best. We’re going to sign all the young, up-and-coming guys.

“If you break into the top 10 and you’re still undefeated, your undefeated record means something. You know what I mean? Everybody’s undefeated in boxing because nobody fights anybody, right? Everybody will fight everybody.”

Formed by TKO, owners of the UFC and WWE, and entertainment conglomerate Sela, Zuffa Boxing’s leadership includes White, Turki Alalshikh, chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority and owner of The Ring, Sela managing director and CEO Dr. Rakan AlHarthy and WWE president Nick Khan, who is a TKO board member as well.

Headlining this weekend’s historic event is Callum Walsh, a talented young fighter White hopes to develop into a superstar, and veteran Carlos Ocampo. Walsh has been White’s boxing passion project over the last few years, showcasing the Irish prodigy on several events streamed on UFC Fight Pass.

Just 24 years old, Walsh is a perfect 15-0 with 11 knockouts. From a promotional standpoint, he has a marketable look, but he lacks the charisma and gift of the gab of say his countryman McGregor. As a boxer, he’s a solid southpaw who’s developing nicely under the tutelage of International Boxing Hall of Famer Freddie Roach.

“King” is an aggressive, front-foot pressure fighter who likes to control the centre of the ring from the get-go and push opponents backward. For a young gun, he cuts the ring off well, closes distance quickly and forces exchanges rather than circling on the outside.

He was last in action in September, outpointing previously undefeated Fernando Vargas Jr. on the Canelo Alvarez-Terence Crawford undercard.

In Ocampo, he faces another step up in competition. The Mexican veteran is 38-3 with 26 knockouts. Known as “Chema”, his only loss came against former champions Errol Spence and Tim Tszyu, both by knockout, and a decision defeat to Sebastian Fundora, who went on to become a unified 154-pound champion.

His hands are HEAVY 😮‍💨

Watch Carlos Ocampo in the #ZuffaBoxing01 main event! 🥊

📺: @paramountplus | JAN 23 | 9pmET pic.twitter.com/qpHMuYuBlu

— Zuffa_Boxing (@Zuffa_Boxing) January 18, 2026

The 30-year-old is on a three-fight win streak, all by knockout, with the most recent being a third-round stoppage of Ricardo Banuelos. He has a similar go-forward approach but lacks the finesse of his younger foe. His movement is far from smooth and his punches are not always technical.

He’s there to be hit, but one of his defining traits is durability. He’s willing to take shots to land his own and has shown the ability to keep pressing even when hurt or outgunned. As a result, I see him hanging tough without having much success, with Walsh kicking off the Zuffa Boxing era with a decision win.

Prediction: Walsh by decision.

Best Bet: Walsh by decision at 1.90.