Callum Walsh knows what it means to earn a living with his hands. Before throwing hooks and jabs in the ring, he spent his days lifting cargo on fishing boats in the port of Cobh, under the cold Atlantic wind in his native Ireland.
He was only 16, but he already understood hard work. Today, at 24, he continues to work just as hard, although his stage has changed — now he does it under the bright lights of a boxing ring.
On Saturday at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Walsh (14-0, 11 KOs) will have the night he always dreamed of.
He will fight on the co-main event of a card headlined by Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez and Terence Crawford, a huge platform for his young career, and it will be broadcast on Netflix, where he will risk his undefeated record in a 10-round super welterweight bout against another hungry youngster, Fernando Vargas Jr. (17-0, 15 KOs), heir to the surname of a former world champion.
Ireland’s Callum Walsh punches Scotland’s Dean Sutherland during a super welterweight boxing match on March 16 in New York.
(Frank Franklin II / Associated Press)
Far from trying to forget his days on the docks, Walsh is grateful for them.
“Training is tough, yes, but I enjoy it. It’s much better than getting up at dawn to go to the port,” Walsh said with a smile.
The work ethic he displayed as a loader on fishing boats also helped establish Walsh as one of the most promising prospects in world boxing.
The Irish southpaw has fought three times at Madison Square Garden and filled Dublin’s 3Arena last year. His aggressive and fast style sets him apart, with a volume of punches that rarely diminishes and a courage that leads him to exchange blows without backing down.
“I’ll be opening up to a much wider fan base. There will be a lot of people watching the fight,” said Walsh, who wants people to be satisfied with the contest, unlike the last Netflix show in which Jake Paul disappointed millions of viewers by having a very limited opponent, 58-year-old Mike Tyson.
“I want to show them what real boxing is all about. There will be a lot of people watching for the first time, and I want them to become fans,” said Walsh, an admirer of his compatriot, Conor McGregor, a UFC star.
Walsh is training at Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles under the watchful eye of Freddie Roach. There, the Irishman is combining his solid amateur foundation of more than 150 fights with the legendary trainer’s offensive style.
“I couldn’t have chosen a better teacher,” Walsh said.
On the other side of the ring, Walsh will face Vargas, a southpaw with a powerful punch who made his debut in 2020 but already boasts 17 victories — 15 of them by knockout. However, the odds in Las Vegas favor the Irishman.
“I don’t care about Las Vegas. Las Vegas loses all the time,” Vargas Jr. said on “The PorterWay Podcast” when asked about not being favored.
Undefeated junior middleweight boxers Callum Walsh, left, and Fernando Vargas Jr., right, face off while UFC’s Dana White looks on during a news conference at T-Mobile Arena on Thursday.
(Steve Marcus / Getty Images)
The fight will not only be a duel between undefeated fighters. It will also be a huge showcase. The powerful boxing promoter and organizer of the Canelo vs. Crawford fight, Turki Al-Sheikh, will be watching Walsh closely, as will UFC president Dana White, who has shared a growing interest in boxing.
“The lights can’t shine any brighter than that night,” warned Tom Loeffler, Walsh’s promoter.
But Walsh says he doesn’t feel any pressure. Not from the stage, nor from protecting his perfect record.
“Everyone can lose at some point. The important thing is to face real fights and give the public what they want,” Walsh said. At 24, he knows he still has a long way to go.
The story of the young man who left the boats for the ring will have a new chapter this Saturday in Las Vegas. It will be up to his fists to impress the world and confirm that he is no longer a prospect, but a reality.
RENO, Nevada — The history of Mexican boxing features names that transcend generations. From Julio César Chávez, recognized as the pinnacle of Mexican boxing, to legendary figures such as Juan Manuel Márquez, Rubén ‘Púas’ Olivares, Salvador Sánchez, Ricardo ‘Finito’ López and Carlos ‘Cañas’ Zárate — all have proudly carried the name of Mexican flag to the peak of the boxing world.
The tradition of Aztec dominance has been continued in a big way by Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez, who on Oct. 29 will celebrate a historic 20-year professional career that began when he was just 15 years old, when he made his professional debut against Abraham González. Two decades later, with a legacy built on titles and big stages, Álvarez paused to reflect on his development from red-headed teenager who dreamed of being the best in the world to the current king of Mexican boxing with 63 victories.
Canelo Álvarez, left; UFC CEO Dana White, center; and Terence Crawford, right, speak during a news conference at at T-Mobile Arena on June 27.
(David Becker / Getty Images for Netflix)
“I’ve achieved everything in boxing, imagine how satisfying that is for me,” Álvarez told L.A. Times en Español during his training camp in Reno, Nev.
The celebration has already been planned and, like everything else involving Álvarez, it will be private but “on a grand scale.” The magnitude will likely depend on whether he emerges victorious when he defends his four belts against the undefeated Terence Crawford (41-0, 31 KOs) Saturday (6 p.m., Netflix), at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
“I think I’ve done some really good things in boxing and I’m very proud of that kid who started out with the dream of being the best in the world,” said the 35-year-old from Jalisco.
That kid, as his brother, Ricardo, recalls, was no different from any other teen in Guadalajara, except for an unusual obsession: to succeed in a brutal and demanding sport. His journey began in local gyms, under the tutelage of Chepo Reynoso and his son, Eddy, who saw extraordinary potential. It was there that Canelo Álvarez heard the words that would forever mark his destiny.
Boxer Canelo Álvarez, center, poses alongside his trainers Chepo Reynoso, left, and Eddy Reynoso, right, at MGM Grand in Las Vegas in 2018.
(Ethan Miller / Getty Images)
“‘With the talent you have, you’ll get wherever you want to go,’ is what they always told me, and it stuck in my mind,” Canelo said, recalling his early days with Chepo, his trainer since he was 14 years old.
Two decades later, Canelo says that advice is still the message he would repeat to himself if he could travel back in time. Because those words not only fueled his hunger, they gave him conviction.
“I would just tell that kid what he already knows, that ‘you’re going to get wherever you want to go,’” Canelo said.
Two decades later, that kid not only fulfilled his promise, but exceeded it. He became a champion in multiple divisions, a global icon and, above all, a man who continues to look ahead.
The story of Canelo Álvarez is not just that of a boxer, but of a dream fulfilled through discipline, sacrifice and faith. And yet, as Ricardo often says, “he still has a long way to go.”
Canelo’s journey has not been improvised or meteoric, but rather a project shaped by patience and discipline. Eddy, who has also been Canelo’s trainer since adolescence, recalls constantly learning alongside Canelo.
“In 2000, I started training boxers with my dad — first amateurs and then professionals. We formed a group of kids and teenagers, and that’s where Saúl came from,” Eddy said.
That connection, forged in the gyms of Jalisco, was the beginning of one of the most successful partnerships in boxing history. Eddy was inspired by figures such as Julián Magdaleno and Rafael Mendoza, coaches who instilled in him the ambition to be someone great in the sport.
Canelo Alvarez celebrates with his family after defeating John Ryder at Akron Stadium in 2023 in Zapopan, Mexico.
(Hector Vivas / Getty Images)
“I always imagined myself being someone important in boxing,” Eddy said. “And with Saúl, we’ve achieved that.”
In his two-decade career, Canelo has moved up in weight class, stage and demand. He has done so by facing Miguel Cotto, Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Gennady Golovkin, against whom he fought a memorable trilogy.
Although he suffered his first career defeat in 2013 against Mayweather, it was the fight that paved the way for his success not only as a champion, but also as an entrepreneur and businessman.
“It was very emotional for me because of many things surrounding the fight,” Canelo said. “Confirming that I was better than him, everything that had been said. [It] was a very special moment.”
Eddy agrees that that night was a high point.
“I saw him very happy when he beat Golovkin in the second round. Also, when he beat Miguel Cotto, or even in his early four-round fights. Every win has had meaning, but that victory over ‘GGG’ was special.”
Little by little, Canelo learned from his mistakes and cleared his path to become the economic and sporting powerhouse he is today. Along the way, he fell out with Golden Boy Promotions and Oscar De La Hoya in 2020, with whom he first became a superstar, and made a miscalculation by moving up to light heavyweight and losing for the second time in his career, this time to Dmitry Bivol in 2022.
The darkest moment of his career came in 2018 when he was suspended for six months by the Nevada Athletic Commission for testing positive for the banned substance clenbuterol. According to Canelo’s team, this was because of contaminated meat he ate during a visit to Mexico. Clenbuterol is sometimes used in cattle feed to increase muscle mass.
Beyond the belts, the million-dollar purses and the fame, Canelo’s career has been supported by his unwavering family, particularly during the difficult times.
“It’s been a long 20-year career,” said Ricardo, one of Canelo’s six older brothers. “We’ve always been united in supporting him. He’s become the star of boxing, the face of boxing. We’re very proud of him, and he’s very proud of what he’s achieved and what he still has to achieve. He was born for this, I’ve always told him, he was born for this.”
The family has celebrated every victory and accompanied him through every obstacle. For them, the fight against Crawford is not just a sporting challenge, it’s also a family reunion.
“We are going to celebrate with great happiness, with the family, more than anything else united, with friends and team. All together, as always,” said Ricardo.
Canelo Alvarez hits Jaime Munguia during a super middleweight title fight on May 4, 2024, in Las Vegas.
(John Locher / Associated Press)
In the Álvarez family’s memory, there are moments that define their history, anecdotes that serve as symbols of everything that was to come. Ricardo remembered one of them with particular clarity: the night they went to the movies to see “Cinderella Man,” the 2005 film about James J. Braddock, the boxer who persevered during the Great Depression and fought for a world title.
As they left the room, Ricardo asked his younger brother, “Can you imagine fighting on a stage like that one day?”
Canelo recalled telling his brother: “I wanted to succeed like that boxer, but with a different ending, fighting in world championships on the biggest stages.”
With a career that has taken Canelo to Madison Square Garden, the MGM Grand and T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Canelo recognizes he made the goal come true.
“Now that we’ve talked about it after all these years, he says to me, ‘And what do you think? I’ve already fought on the best stages.’ And yes, he’s achieved everything,” Ricardo said.
Canelo Álvarez, left, with brother, Ricardo.
(HANDOUT / INSTAGRAM)
Saturday’s setting will once again be monumental: Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. Awaiting him there will be Crawford, who is considered by many to be the best pound-for-pound fighter today.
For Eddy, this fight represents a clash of styles and power.
“A huge fight is coming between two of the world’s greatest powerhouses, Mexico and the United States. We’re going to show that the Mexican school is the best,” Eddy said.
Ricardo also recognizes the magnitude of the challenge: “[Canelo] has had big fights, with Cotto, Golovkin, Mayweather. But you can feel what this fight means in the atmosphere. It’s the biggest fight today, and I’m sure it’s going to surprise people.”
Canelo, for his part, takes it in stride.
“It means a lot to me to continue fighting in big fights, in a stadium as important as Allegiant,” he said. “I’m happy and excited to be there.”
It’s still unclear how exactly Canelo will celebrate Oct. 29 and his two decades of boxing.
Eddy envisions joining the celebration with a resounding victory.
“We’re going to win this fight by knockout,” Eddy promises, “and then we’re going to have a big party in Mexico.”
In his return to boxing after four years without a fight, Manny Pacquiao says he has more “passion and determination” than ever.
The 46-year-old Filipino star says his disciplined training regimen will help him shine in the ring Saturday and defeat World Boxing Council (WBC) welterweight champion Mario Barrios — a fighter 16 years Pacquiao’s junior — in the main event at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas (5 p.m. PDT, Prime Video).
The 30-year-old champion Barrios is known for his effective counter-punching and is in the prime of his career. But the most important opponent for “Pacman” will be weathering Father Time. The last time Pacquiao was in a competitive fight was when he lost in late 2021 by unanimous decision to Cuba’s Yordenis Ugas, throwing a lot of punches, but connecting on few.
“It’s my passion, and the fire in my heart, in my mind is still there,” Pacquiao (62-8-2, 39 KOs) said in an interview with The Times at the Wild Card Gym in Hollywood. “I can still work hard in training and I can still fight.”
Manny Pacquiao, center, and WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios pose at a news conference in Los Angeles on June 3.
(Greg Beacham / Associated Press)
If he wins, Pacquiao would make history in many categories: he would become the second oldest champion in boxing history, after Bernard Hopkins became the oldest world champion at 46 years and 126 days by beating Jean Pascal in 2011. He would also be the oldest oldest champion in a division below light heavyweight and the only active champion to be part of the Boxing Hall of Fame.
Pacquiao noted that one of his goals in his return to boxing is to become the oldest fighter in boxing alongside trainer Freddie Roach, extending an illustrious career in which he has won titles in eight different divisions. The Filipino is the only boxer to conquer and retain titles during each of the past four decades.
“He’s having very good combinations, his power is still there,” said Roach, who first met Pacquiao in 2001.
“My goal is to be the oldest champion and retire as champion,” said Pacquiao, who expects to participate in two or three more fights, including some exhibition bouts. Prior to this fight against Barrios, Pacquiao held two exhibition fights against South Korean DK Yoo in 2022 and kickboxer Rukiya Anpo in 2024.
Pacquiao said that despite going four years without fighting competitively, he maintained a strict training regimen for this contest.
“Sometimes my trainers ask me to stop,” Pacquiao acknowledged. “They don’t want me to overtrain. They want me to give my body time to rest, give me time to recover.”
Pacquiao received a lot of criticism for being a direct contender for a world title after such a long break and being given a shot at the world championship without any recent bouts.
“All I can say is, like, I’m different than fighters to prepare for a fight. When I prepare for a fight like this, I’m seriously 100% disciplined and I work hard,” Pacquiao noted.
Barrios, known as “El Azteca,” is not only 16 years younger than Pacquiao, he also has a seven-inch height advantage. The Mexican-American won his title by defeating Ugas by unanimous decision in 2023 after knocking him down twice. He defended his crown twice in 2024 by beating Fabian Maidana and recently had a draw with Abel Ramos on the same bill as the Jake Paul-Mike Tyson showdown in November.
WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios poses on the scale at a ceremonial weigh in on Friday in Las Vegas.
(John Locher / Associated Press)
“I’ve been working with the mindset that I’m facing a legend. At the end of the day, it’s another man trying to take my title. I respect what he’s done in the sport and the person he is, but come fight night, that respect won’t be there,” Barrios said at his camp in Las Vegas. “When they proposed the fight to me, I didn’t know whether to take it as disrespect or respect because he wanted me. But it doesn’t matter, I’m the champion for a reason and I’m going to show why I have the WBC belt.”
Also on the bill, Pacquiao’s eldest son, Emmanuel, 24, will be making his professional debut, despite having limited amateur experience. According to Pacquiao, Emmanuel’s arrival in professional boxing by sharing an evening with him is a “blessing from God.”
“My advice to him is to work hard, look at my training, the way I prepare, the way I punish myself, the way I focus on training,” Pacquiao said.
The Las Vegas card will also feature WBC super welterweight world champion Sebastian “The Towering Inferno” Fundora taking on Australian Tim Tszyu in a rematch of the 2024 bout won by Fundora. Former world champion Isaac Cruz will now square off against Omar Salcido Gamez in a 12-round super lightweight bout after Angel Fierro withdrew from the event on Friday due to health concerns. Also, former two-division world champion Brandon Figueroa will battle Joet Gonzalez in a 10-round featherweight showdown.
While Julio César Chávez Jr.’s name and lineage evoke history, discipline and glory, Jake Paul’s name is linked to a modern phenomenon that has challenged the traditional codes of boxing.
Paul’s arrival in the boxing spotlight was not by conventional means and although his bout with Chávez may appear to be a marketing spectacle, both fighters could benefit from a win.
At age 39 with 61 professional fights (54-6-1, 34 KOs), Chávez returns to the to the Honda Center in Anaheim Saturday to face Paul, offering pre-fight speeches that mix confidence, maturity and a sense of duty. Away from the show, the Mexican says he focused on serious and deep preparation.
“We are preparing to the fullest, thoroughly, to arrive better than ever physically, well-focused. We have to be 100% for the fight,” Chávez told L.A. Times en Español, making it clear that this is not just another adventure, but a fight that could open up more opportunities.
Jake Paul, left, and Julio César Chávez Jr. will face off at the Honda Center in Anaheim on Saturday.
(Cris Esqueda/Golden Boy/Getty Images)
The son of Mexican boxing legend Julio César Chávez Sr., he knows that many see him as the last stepping stone to catapult Paul into boxing legitimacy, but he doesn’t share that view.
“He’s not going to beat me. I’m a better boxer than him,” Julio César Chávez Jr. said.
The endorsement he received from Mexican boxing star Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez was interpreted as a vote of confidence in his ability.
“It’s important to listen to him,” Chávez said. “I think Canelo knows I’m the better boxer than Jake Paul. … We’re going to hit him hard.”
Paul said if he defeats Chávez, it will close the door on the Mexican fighter’s comeback after a stint in rehab.
“He’s going to retire,” Paul said.
He dismissed Álvarez’s endorsement of his opponent.
“It’s definitely a sign of respect from Canelo, but he showed me the utmost respect by turning down $100 million not to fight me,” Paul said, alluding to a potential fight against Álvarez that was being negotiated as recently as May before the Mexican star chose another opponent. “He knows it’s not an easy fight.”
With a dozen fights under his belt, Paul (11-1, 7 KOs) has been consistently criticized for facing weaker opponents, with the latest one raising strong suspicions that opponents accept limitations that favor Paul.
In November 2024, Paul faced aging legend Mike Tyson, whom he defeated by unanimous decision. Critics on social media immediately took issue with both fighters. There were moments it appeared Tyson could have finished Paul, but then seemed to back off and avoid throwing crucial punches.
Chávez made it clear that this fight is not part of a setup nor does it have an agreed script.
“I don’t lend myself to that kind of thing,” Chávez said. “The fight is normal and that’s all I can tell you.”
For the Mexican fighter, this bout represents something more than a purse or a chance to gain viral fame.
Jake Paul, left, and Julio César Chávez Jr. taunt each other following a weigh-in ahead of their cruiserweight boxing match Friday in Anaheim.
(Chris Pizzello / Associated Press)
“It’s like an activation,” he said. “There is the opportunity to fight for the world championship, even a rematch with Canelo.”
And while some have suggested that a Chávez loss would mean the end of his career, he dismisses that emphatically,
“It hasn’t crossed my mind, I’m not going to lose,” he said. “I’m thinking about winning and having a few fights after that.”
Paul, for his part, has made controversy a promotional tool, but he has also sought, in his words, to make it clear that his ambition is serious.
In response to rumors potential opponents canceled before the fight with Chávez was finalized, Paul explained that “a cowardly Mexican was afraid to fight me. … Another great boxer did not deliver. We talked to [influencer and boxer] KSI, Tommy Fury… That led us to Chávez and to keep on the path of facing real opponents, former world champions and remain active on my way to becoming world champion.”
Paul, as is his custom, did not miss the opportunity to psychologically attack his rival. This time, he pointed to the symbolic weight of the Chávez surname.
“It’s added pressure for Chávez Jr., he doesn’t handle pressure well,” Paul said. “… His dad wants this for his son, more than his son wants it. That can create a lot of problems and insecurities that I’m going to expose.”
Paul defends his history as a self-taught boxer who came to change the rules of the game.
“I never wanted the respect. It’s about proving myself, creating one of the best sports stories to inspire the next generation,” he said. “Without me, boxing would be dead.”
For Paul, the bout is another step in his attempt to silence the purists and reassert himself as more than a YouTube celebrity with gloves. For Chávez, it represents a chance to reclaim his lost place, to prove that his lineage is not just a family name but legitimate talent.
Boxers Jake Paul and Julio César Chávez Jr. attend a news conference at the Avalon Hollywood Theatre in Los Angeles on May 14.
(Damian Dovarganes / Associated Press)
“I’m not worried, I’m preparing to win … I grabbed the fight because I’m going to win it,” Chávez insisted, downplaying any risks.
In the face of the doubts surrounding the showdowns, both fighters assured fans will see a real fight on Saturday.
“At the end of the day, above the ring, we are all the same,” Chávez said.
Paul is not worried about what people think of him.
“I don’t pay attention to what the boxing world says,” he said. “Naturally, this world loves to shoot themselves in the foot and wants to keep criticizing me, but what we’ve realized is that they obviously have no power, no control, no weight because I’m still involved in the biggest events.”
Mexico’s Monterrey advanced to the round of 16 at the Club World Cup by thrashing Urawa Red Diamonds 4-0 on Wednesday at the Rose Bowl in the third and final match of the group stage, while Argentina’s River Plate was eliminated with a 2-0 loss to Inter Milan in Seattle.
As the third-place team in Group E, the Rayados needed to win, scoring as many goals as possible, and then hope for a winner at Lumen Field during the match between River Plate and Inter Milan, because if the match was tied 2-2, Monterrey would be eliminated no matter what happened in Pasadena.
But Inter Milan’s win gave the club first place in the group with seven points, followed by Monterrey with five and River Plate with four points. Urawa did not earn any group points.
“We have to enjoy now, the present,” said Domenec Torrent, Monterrey’s technical director. “I’m very happy for the people who came here and for Mexican soccer in general.”
Torrent added that he was happy to finish unbeaten during three group stage matches, earning one win and two draws.
“We knew it was going to be a complex match. Urawa, despite being eliminated, we knew they were going to play a difficult game,” Monterrey midfielder Óliver Torres said. “In fact, in the first few minutes they made it very difficult for us. After the goal, we started to grow in the match. We knew it was a very important day for all the club’s workers, for all the fans who were here and at home, and well, for all of Mexico.”
Monterrey settled the match in a matter of nine minutes.
Monterrey’s Germán Berterame, front, and Sergio Ramos embrace after winning their Club World Cup Group E match against Urawa on Wednesday at the Rose Bowl.
(Jae Hong / Associated Press)
Colombian Nelson Deossa fired a powerful shot from outside the box at Urawa goalkeeper Shūsaku Nishikawa, who could not block the shot as the ball rolled in for a goal in the 30th minute. Two minutes later, Argentine Germán Berterame fired a low shot on the right side of the Japanese goal and scored. Then, Jesús “Tecatito” Corona fired a long-range missile, extending Monterrey’s lead to 3-0. The fourth goal came in stoppage time when Berterame finished off a diagonal cross from the right.
“I didn’t expect what tonight was like,” said Berterame of his brace, the win and the qualification. “We were coming to win, but I think it was a dream night.”
Monterrey will face Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta while Inter Milan will face Fluminense on Monday at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C., in the round of 16 of the tournament.
Monterrey fans cheer for their team during a Club World Cup Group E soccer match against Urawa Red Diamonds at the Rose Bowl on Wednesday.
(Jae Hong / Associated Press)
“The next game we know is very difficult,” said Torrent, who added Dortmund plays a style very similar to Inter Milan. “It’s another European team that competes very well, they have won things. We already know how they play, I’ve seen them very well.”
“Every game is like a chess match. Getting through the group was not easy. It’s going to be very difficult for them to beat us and if they beat us, let the fans know that we’re going to give everything.”
Sergio Ramos’ Monterrey and Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami are the only two CONCACAF teams to survive the first round, as Pachuca, Seattle and LAFC were eliminated during the group stage.
