NEW YORK – Callum Walsh showed that he could fight through some serious adversity and win a dog fight Thursday night.
The strong southpaw from Ireland withstood a real challenge from live, durable underdog Ismael Villarreal and defeated the hometown boxer by unanimous decision in an entertaining main event of a seven-bout card at a sold-out Theater at Madison Square Garden.
Villarreal was credited with a knockdown with just over two minutes remaining in the 10th round. Walsh seemed more fatigued than hurt when he got up and Villarreal couldn’t put him down again before the final bell rang.
An aggressive Villarreal did drill Walsh with two more hard right hands before the end of their bout, but it wasn’t enough to win. Walsh won 97-92, 97-92 and 96-93 on the scorecards.
Walsh, 22, improved to 9-0, but he was taken the distance for just the second time. Cork’s Walsh went past the sixth round for the first time in a pro career that began nearly two years ago.
Villarreal, 26, lost for just the second time in nearly six years as a pro, but the Bronx native still hasn’t been knocked out in 15 professional fights (13-2, 9 KOs). His first defeat was a closely contested, split-decision loss to Ardreal Holmes Jr. (14-0, 5 KOs) on February 17 in Topeka, Kansas.
A right hook by Walsh knocked Villarreal off balance with about 45 seconds to go in the ninth round. Walsh unloaded two combinations late in the ninth round, but Villarreal waved him forward.
Walsh drilled Villarreal with a straight left as the end of the eighth round neared. Walsh was the more accurate fighter for most of that eighth round, when he made Villarreal miss with many of his shots.
Villarreal and Walsh blasted each other with power shots when there was just over 30 seconds to go in an action-packed seventh round.
Villarreal and Walsh both landed hard shots as the sixth round drew to a close. An aggressive Walsh unloaded in combination during the middle minute of the sixth round.
Walsh went to touch gloves after an accidental clash of heads about 30 seconds into the sixth round, but Villarreal promptly punched him in the face.
A flush right by Villarreal landed with under 20 seconds to go in the fifth round, but Walsh took it well. A right uppercut by Walsh connected about 30 seconds into the fifth round.
Villarreal hit Walsh low with less than 10 seconds to go in the fourth round, which caused a brief break in the action.
A short right hook by Walsh made Villarreal stumble in the final minute of the fourth round. He unleashed a flurry to try to capitalize on that momentum, but Villarreal tied him up.
Back-to-back left hooks by Villarreal backed up Walsh almost a minute into the fourth round.
Two straight rights by Villarreal backed up Walsh in the final minute of the third round. Walsh wanted to exchange several seconds later, though, and traded hard shots with Villarreal until the third round ended.
Walsh temporarily stopped punching and tied up Villarreal midway through the third round.
Walsh’s right hook connected again as Villarreal came forward a minute into the third round.
A straight left by Walsh stunned Villarreal a few seconds before the second round ended and backed him into the ropes. Walsh rocked Villarreal with a right hook that was part of a combination he landed midway through the second round.
A straight left by Walsh nailed Villarreal and made him stumble less than 10 seconds into the second round.
Walsh drilled Villarreal with a left hand that made him reset his feet with just under a minute to go in the first round. Walsh landed a right hook to Villarreal’s body less than a minute into the opening round.
Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.