Ali’s grandson wins pro debut in first round

TULSA, Okla. — Las Vegas resident Nico Ali Walsh made a successful professional boxing debut Saturday night, winning via technical knockout in the first round and then paying homage to his legendary grandfather, Muhammad Ali.

Wearing trunks that were originally made for his grandfather decades ago, Ali Walsh knocked down outmatched opponent Jordan Weeks midway through the first round before the middleweight fight was finally stopped at 1:49 of the round with Ali Walsh landing unanswered punches to the head.

“It’s been an emotional journey, this whole ride,” Ali Walsh said. “Obviously, my grandfather, I’ve been thinking about him so much. I miss him.”

The fight between Ali Walsh, a 21-year-old UNLV student, and Weeks was notable not because of anything the two had done in the ring, but because Ali Walsh was trying to follow his late grandfather’s large footsteps into boxing.

Still, Ali Walsh (1-0, 1 KO) looked competent for a relative novice and displayed good hand speed and power against Weeks (4-2, 2 KOs), an MMA fighter out of South Carolina who had been stopped in his last boxing match.

Prior to his first pro fight, Ali Walsh had roughly 30 amateur bouts under his belt. He began boxing when he was around 10 years old — with the blessing and encouragement of his grandfather, known worldwide as “The Greatest” — and debuted as an amateur at 15. Ali Walsh was just shy of his 16th birthday when Muhammad Ali passed away in 2016.

Ali Walsh celebrated Saturday’s victory with family members in the ring afterward, including his mother, Muhammad Ali’s daughter Rasheda. His godfather, veteran hip-hop artist Flavor Flav of the group Public Enemy, was also in attendance.

“This lived up completely to my expectations,” Ali Walsh said.

Longtime promoter Bob Arum, who promoted 27 of Muhammad Ali’s fights, was also in Ali Walsh’s entourage.

“I’m a believer in genes,” Arum said.

Ali Walsh, who was born in Chicago, is trained by SugarHill Steward, who also trains WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury. Ali Walsh’s bout with Weeks was on the undercard of the WBA junior bantamweight title fight between Joshua Franco and challenger Andrew Moloney, broadcast on ESPN.

Ali Walsh said the white trunks with black lining he wore in his debut were made for his grandfather, who gave them to him.

“I’m never wearing these trunks again,” he said.