Callum Walsh vows to ‘take over the world’ after impressive hometown win

A left hook from the Corkman brought the contest to a shuddering halt in the second round last night.

The Cobh-native overcame Poland's Przemyslaw Runowski in the second round of the headline fight, thanks to a hefty hook which stunned the 30-year-old.

SECOND ROUND KO FOR CALLUM WALSH! #WalshRunowski 🥊 pic.twitter.com/e9CygyTRbn

— UFC Europe (@UFCEurope) September 20, 2024

The light-middleweight has spent less than three years in the paid ranks, but showed that he is just as effective with the microphone as he is with his hands when he addressed the crowd after the bout.

"He’d never been stopped - until he got hit by me," he said. "I just hit too hard.

"This is going to be a real home thing - it’s not one and done," he added.

"I am not a prospect - I am a contender. I’m coming for all the belts and I’m going to bring them back to Ireland. We’ll take over the world."

Fighting in his home country for the first time as a professional, Walsh was in control from the first bell, making his Polish opponent stumble after landing a left to his head one minute in as UFC CEO Dana White looked on from ringside.

What made the dominating display all the more impressive was the confirmation that Walsh had been unwell in the hours leading up to the fight.

Speaking at a post-fight press conference, the 23-year-old said: "I was sick all day. I didn't tell my team, I didn't tell anybody, I was in bed this morning and I didn't know if I was going to be able to fight.

"I was cold, I was sweating, I felt very sick," he added. "I didn't tell anybody. But when I got out there and I heard the crowd, it woke me up, I got rid of it.

"The adrenaline, the fighting Irish spirit got inside my body and took over everything. I was nervous because I wasn't feeling the best. I was feeling tired, my body was feeling tired, but it doesn't matter at the end of the day."

When asked by a UFC Fight Pass reporter in the ring 'what can be next for King Callum Walsh?', the Irishman responded: "Whoever, whenever, we'll bring this Irish crowd and we'll take over the world."