On a thrilling night of heavyweight boxing in Saudi Arabia, British boxer Anthony Joshua put on a masterful display, securing a victory over Otto Wallin before the Swede’s corner decided to withdraw him from the fight after the fifth round.
Joshua had complete control of the fight from the start and boxed magnificently, leaving Wallin with no chance of winning.
However, the highly anticipated clash between Joshua and American boxer Deontay Wilder took an unexpected turn.
Wilder, who was expected to face Joshua in the upcoming year, lost to Joseph Parker on the same bill.
Wilder appeared a mere shadow of himself in Riyadh and seemed distracted, admitting that all the talk of a fight at least five years in the making had been “a distraction.”
The eighth round proved critical for Wilder, as New Zealander Joseph Parker landed significant blows, ultimately earning a unanimous decision victory over the former world champion.
Parker secured the judges’ favour with scores of 118-111, 118-110 and 120-108.
The unexpected outcome of Wilder’s match threw a wrench into the plans for the highly anticipated Joshua-Wilder bout, which Saudi organizers had tentatively scheduled for the upcoming year.
Although no official contract had been signed, it was widely expected that the two fighters would announce a deal post-fight for a showdown in early 2024.
Reflecting on his triumph over Wallin, Joshua stated, “I put in a terrific performance tonight. I was focused on my game plan, and it paid off. Wallin is a tough opponent, but I felt in control from the start.”
Joshua did his part to set the stage for the mega-fight, but Wilder’s unexpected loss added an element of uncertainty to the heavyweight landscape.
Wilder acknowledged that the prolonged discussions about the matchup had been a significant “distraction,” and it remains to be seen how this development will impact the prospects of a Joshua-Wilder showdown, which would be one of the most anticipated fights in boxing history.
