Joshua Vs. Wallin Breakdown
Anthony Joshua takes on Otto Wallin on ‘The Day of Reckoning’ card in Saudi Arabia on December 23 2023.
Joshua aims to become a three-time heavyweight champion of the world. A victory over Wallin sets up the Deontay Wilder fight after reports they have signed a two-fight deal, the first of which will occur on March 9, 2024. Heading into the contest, Joshua is working with Ben Davidson. The latest trainer change, which has seen him leave Derrick James, has once again thrown question marks over how he will approach the fight.
Joshua
Joshua’s record is 26-3, with 23 of those victories coming through knockout. The Brit will have his third fight this year after beating Jermaine Franklin and Robert Helenius. The fight against Helenius could have been a banana skin as Joshua took it on very short notice. Dillian Whyte’s failed test meant a change of opponent.
Joshua began the fight very slowly, using his jab to set up the right hand. But in doing so, Helenius was out jabbing Joshua as the Brit’s right hand fell short. Joshua was noticeably fighting at a slow pace, but in round seven, Joshua landed the huge right hand to end proceedings. The power was still evident, but the former unified heavyweight champion did look like a man full of confidence.
Wallin
Wallin is a southpaw whose only defeat was against Tyson Fury. His record stands at 26-1, and 14 were stoppages. Wallin’s biggest strength is switching the tempo, keeping things at range, and fighting off the jab. The aim will be to fight off the jab and stay on the outside. By hitting the body, Wallin can make it a less-than-appealing spectacle to neutralise AJ.
Wallin has better technical fundamentals, but can he stand up to Joshua’s pressure? Joshua is the headlining fighter, and the intention will be to come in aggressively to make a big statement. The training footage with Ben Davidson focused on power punches, showing the intent.
Wallin’s win over Murat Gassiev was huge, as he gave the Russian his only second defeat following his loss to Oleksandr Usyk. Coming into the fight, here is what both fighters had to say.
Mindset
“I feel like I’ve shown in the past that I’m a good fighter. I gave Fury a very good fight, and I take pride in my work. I’ve been working very hard to come to this place where I’m at now, and I’m just here ready to take full advantage of this opportunity. I think, one, he hasn’t really looked the same, and I’ve gotten better. So I’ve worked very hard over the years to get to this place, so I feel like I’m getting better all the time. And I’m not sure that he is,” Wallin said
“It will be tough, but it will be good. I’m ready, I do want to hurt him. That’s a fact. There are no games here, I do want to hurt him. [He can present] a lot of problems, but that’s high-level competition. I won’t go over everything I’ve been studying about him, but let’s just say he’s got a good mindset. He’s spoken a lot, so you know where his head’s at, he’s game. That’s good enough to bring the best out of me,” Joshua stated
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