HOLLYWOOD, Calif. — The pieces to the puzzle of TKO Group’s boxing banner are falling into place. UFC President and CEO Dana White shared this week that TKO Boxing will officially be billed as Zuffa Boxing.

One contender who’s credentialed to carry the company flag and showcase the spirit of the promotional outfit’s ethos is Irish junior middleweight Callum Walsh, a longtime fixture in TKO’s UFC and WWE circles.

“King” Walsh (13-0, 11 KOs) is on the cusp of a breakthrough, and he’ll get another crack at proving his promise and potential Saturday when he takes on hard-charging Mexican challenger Elias Espadas (23-6-1, 16 KOs) in a main event fight at Chumash Casino in Santa Ynez, California. The 360 Promotions show will stream on UFC Fight Pass.

Walsh’s last three fights have lasted a total of five rounds, and Espadas, who fought the undefeated Sadriddin Akhmedov to a 10-round draw in April, is expected to give the 24-year-old power-punching southpaw a tough test.

“This fight is a good opportunity for me to make a statement, if I do knock him out,” the Freddie Roach-coached Walsh told The Ring following a training session at the Wild Card gym.

“I’m showing that I’m level above the opponents I’m facing. I’m just doing my job and getting clear victories. I’m developing well. I’m getting older and stronger, and my man strength is coming along. I'd rather be putting in a lot of hard work in the gym and have my fights be quick and easy. What would people be saying if I were going the distance with these guys? It's not a bad thing that these fights are ending early. Train hard and fight easy, that's my mantra.”

Walsh is certainly making a statement with his performances, and he’s long been in the good graces of White, who’s attended his fights from coast to coast in the United States and even promoted his homecoming in Ireland last year.

“I love Callum Walsh,” White told The Ring. “I love his style. I love the fact that he's willing to take tough fights, and I just liked the kid personally as soon as I was introduced to him. Promoting him is fun for me, and I am having fun doing it.”

Walsh’s career-long promoter, Tom Loeffler, who handled Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko and Gennady Golovkin, is promising a prolific future for his pupil.

“People know there is going to be action in Callum’s fights and he's not going to be dancing inside the ring,” Loeffler told The Ring. “The recent performances are showing that Callum is getting better. We thought those fights could go a number of rounds, but he starts fast and gets the job done. The quick finishes were unexpected but they’re tremendous results proving that everything is coming together.

“I’m really impressed how he's been able to handle the step up in competition. Espadas is trained by Manny Robles and is another tough fight for Callum. He can't overlook him. This is a dangerous fight, but these are the kind of fights he needs in the developmental stage in order to prove why he's the fastest-rising star in boxing. Callum can be the face of boxing, and not just TKO’s boxing division, because he has all of the built-in intangibles.”

Walsh said he’s ready for the mouthwatering opportunity as the TKO Group and Zuffa Boxing get underway with 12 events per year for the next five years, including up to four mega matchups per year beginning Sept. 13 with Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford.

“I’m willing to lead the charge for TKO if they call me for it, and I'll fight anyone they put in front of me,” said Walsh. “Hopefully my next fight is for them on the Canelo-Crawford card. I'd love to get involved with them as soon as possible. There is a lot of opportunity there for me with the way they are going to run things, to get bigger fights, and to get bigger names, and to become a champion there.

“To be involved with a league that Dana White is controlling is very exciting. I can't wait, and I would be honored to be one of the main guys for him. Bringing that UFC mentality of tough fights to boxing is very good. It will change boxing for the better. Nobody will care about a loss. It will take away a lot of pressure off fighters, too. Fighters won't have to go to the back of the line if they lose, and they'll stay active. I'll fight anyone, win, lose, or draw, and that's why I’m excited.”