AMID ALL the razzmatazz that enveloped a monumental fight week for Canelo Alvarez vs Terence Crawford, it was easy to miss the emergence of a talented Liverpudlian, coming through his Las Vegas debut in spectacular fashion.
Without getting overawed by the occasion, Mikie Tallon simply took it in his stride and got straight down to business, not wishing to allow an opportunity of such magnitude to be defined by a flat night at the office or, worse still, a shock defeat.
So, instead, the 20-year-old made sure to deliver a statement performance last month, while also navigating the challenges that inevitably come with a late notice call-up.
Thankfully for him, an experienced coach in the form of Joe Gallagher was right by his side, just as he has been for the past two and a half years.
“I think I’d totally destroy the fighter that first came into the gym,” Tallon (10-0, 1 KO) tells Boxing News, delighted with his progress since joining Gallagher’s ‘Champs Camp’ in Manchester.
“There’s such a difference in levels, especially with the attributes that Joe has given me.
“Joe’s one of them coaches where he doesn’t go home from the gym and switch off; he’s constantly looking for ways to benefit us.
“For me, personally, I think that’s what makes him one of the best coaches around; it’s all about the amount of time and effort he puts into his fighters.”
You might sit there wondering how a flyweight prospect from Liverpool, not even with double-digit fights, ended up showcasing his skills in Sin City.
Well, as is often the case in this sport, it all started with a social media post from Turki Alalshikh.
Clearly impressed by what he had seen from Tallon, the boxing paymaster took to X and expressed his desire to see the young technician feature on a fight week card for Canelo-Crawford.
Yet despite the immediate jolt of excitement he felt, Tallon remained firm on his belief that nothing is guaranteed unless it appears in writing.
“I was buzzing when he put the Tweet out, but then I fought at the Olympia [in Liverpool] soon after and everyone was like, ‘Hopefully it’s Vegas next,’ and I only knew as much as them,” he admits.
“From the moment [Alalshikh] put that Tweet out, it was just a case of sitting tight, waiting to see if it was actually going to happen.
“But when everything got announced, and Joe showed me the contract, it really was just a breathtaking moment.”
While grateful for the opportunity, it soon dawned on Tallon that his somewhat hurried preparation was far from ideal.
“As a kid, you’re always saying that you want to fight at the MGM Grand and places like that, but you never really think it’s going to happen,” he says. “But to actually say that I’ve fought over there [in Vegas] is mad.
“Before I got there, it was all about putting on a good performance and hopefully getting noticed, but when I actually got there, it was all such a rush that I only really cared about getting the win.”
Despite the absence of a full training camp for his opponent, Christian Robles, Tallon was able to produce the performance he had always hoped for.
Two knockdowns practically saw him steal the show on September 10. The first was conducted with a peach of a right hand over the top of Robles’ guard, while the second – a short uppercut – saw Tallon come inches away from securing a grandstand finish in the sixth and final round.
“It was like a muscle memory type thing,” explains Tallon. “Joe posted two [social media] stories the other day of us on the pads, and then the two knockdowns.
“It was exactly what we’d been working on – the same shots. Everything just fell into place at the right time.
“After the fight, Joe took me straight over to see Turki, who said that he was really happy with the performance and hopes to see me on more cards.”
It was, indeed, a display that not only showcased Tallon’s power but also his clinical sharpshooting credentials, with both attributes contributing to an all-round tidy package.
After experiencing a taste of the bright lights across the pond, though, the tenacious Scouser must now build his career, bit by bit, while adopting a far steadier approach.
As is the case with any fighter at this stage of their development, activity is the number-one priority for Tallon, who expects to enter a slightly less glamorous eight-rounder in December.
But, hey, at least he only has to travel a few miles, rather than catching a long-haul flight, for this next one!
