As Nico Ali Walsh cruised to a victory this Saturday and proved his boxing credentials, he lashed out at Teofimo Lopez for discrediting him. The WBO champion at 140 had slandered him to opt for boxing to chase money and fame. However, the American boxer continues to prove him wrong. What’s more? The boxer carrying on the legacy of his grandfather, Muhammad Ali, has an instance to show for it.

Walsh, 23, swayed the judges with a third-round knockdown of Sona Akale and outpointed him, as he bagged a unanimous decision win. However, he had a scar in the fight as he dislocated his shoulder in the final round and survived the trouble. With his win, the Chicago native improved his record to 11-1 and also avenged his career’s lone loss, which came against Akale last year. But that’s not what he had in mind when he held the mic in the post-fight ring interview. All he remembered were the comments from ‘The Takeover,’ questioning his place in the boxing community.

Walsh, in the post-fight interview, declared, “Teofimo Lopez said in an interview a few weeks before this fight. He disrespected my family saying that that I’m only in boxing because I’m desperate for money and fame. And I thought that that was really wrong for someone that I used to look up to say. But you know, it is what it is.”

‘The Legend Lives On’ then disclosed that he had been offered a fight with Jake Paul with millions on the table. Instead of minting money, he opted to fight a real fighter. He continued, “I just want everyone to know that I chose the path of boxing, I chose the path of legacy. If I wanted to be, I could be a millionaire right now. Before this fight, I denied a multi-million dollar contract from MVP Promotions to fight Jake Paul and I’m fighting a real fighter tonight. So, I’m not part of that circus league of boxing,” he added.

With the latest and most comprehensive win, Walsh is now on a three-fight win streak. So, where does it leave him? What’s next for him?

Nico Ali Walsh: carving out a name for himself at 160

Walsh is rapidly surging in the ranks of the middleweight division, and despite being in the early stages of his career, he is already making headway. His primary target remains to break into the rankings soon and then leverage that to bag a title opportunity. But is it so simple?

Nobody is that sure. The tall, lanky, orthodox boxer needs to continue plummeting opponents in the ring to reach the pinnacle of the 160-pound division. If his latest fight is any indication, he has what it takes to get there. After all, not every fighter gets a call from MVP Promotions with an offer to fight ‘The Problem Child’.

What do you make of these comments by Nico Ali Walsh? Would you have preferred to watch him go against Jake Paul? Let us know in the comments below.