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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Matthew Wells and Ken Hathaway

Muhammad Ali’s grandson Biaggio Ali Walsh may turn pro with win at 2023 PFL Championships

LAS VEGAS – The Muhammad Ali lineage may have another professional fighter soon.

Biaggio Ali Walsh, a grandson of the iconic boxer, has six amateur MMA fights under his belt and may decide to make the jump to the pro ranks after his next outing in November.

At the 2023 PFL Championships on Nov. 23, Walsh returns to action again to face Joel Galarza Lopez, an undefeated amateur with three wins. If successful, it may be the moment that marks Walsh’s move to becoming the first pro MMA fighter in his fighting family’s lineage, alongside brother Nico Ali Walsh and aunt Laila Ali, who stuck with boxing as professionals.

“God willing, I put this guy to sleep in November, and I’m going to sit down with my coach and see what he thinks is next,” Ali Walsh told MMA Junkie and other reporters at a media scrum at Xtreme Couture. “I like to listen to him, I’m still a baby. He has so much more knowledge than I do. This is not a sport to rush in, but personally, if you were to just ask me individually, I think after this next fight I get the win, God willing, I think I’ll be ready to go pro.”

Walsh was submitted in his amateur debut, but has since ripped through five straight opponents by stoppage, including four first-round finishes. Walsh first competed under the PFL banner in November 2022, where he stopped Tom Graesser in just 45 seconds with a crushing right hand. His upcoming bout against Lopez will be his fifth amateur bout with the promotion that has never rushed his journey to reach the professional ranks.

Check out the full media scrum with Walsh in the video above.

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