The Day of Reckoning for Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder is upon us.
Both former heavyweight champions are one win away from a mega-fight against the other.
To the delight of heavyweight boxing fans, that day of reckoning will occur on the same day in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in one of the most intriguing combat sports events of 2023.
Joshua takes on Otto Wallin, and like Wilder, who faces former world champion Joseph Parker in the co-main event, the UK star is tasked with emerging victorious and avoiding injury.
A bad cut or another significant physical setback could hurt the chances of the two men meeting in the first quarter of 2024 in Saudi Arabia in a long-anticipated match between two of the best heavyweights of this era.
Here is a closer look at Joshua’s record as a professional and what we can expect from Wallin as he attempts to play the ultimate spoiler.
The Tale of the Tape for Anthony Joshua
- Age: 34
- W/L Record: 26-3 (23 KO)
The 6-foot-6-inch Joshua is still in his physical prime as a fighter.
At 34, he’s still considered relatively young for the heavyweight division. In his last fight, he proved he still has the kind of one-punch power to instantly end an opponent’s night.
Joshua scored a seventh-round KO over Robert Helenius to set up Saturday’s high-stakes evening. Still, the victory didn’t come without concerns for Matchroom and promoter Eddie Hearn’s prized fighter.
Given Joshua’s perceived superiority as a boxer, Helenius connected on more punches than many believed he should have. Joshua’s nose was bloodied when he landed the definitive punch that ended the fight, and that could be a reason for concern heading into the scrap with Wallin.
Make no mistake about it: Wallin is no pushover.
The 33-year-old from Sweden comes into the fight with Joshua sporting a 26-1 record with 14 KOs. Wallin’s lone defeat came against Tyson Fury in September 2019 via unanimous decision.
While Fury won by a large margin on the three judges’ scorecards, he did have to escape the fight with a victory after Wallin opened a hellacious gash above the champion’s right eye.
Many of us who have spent decades around the sport have seen fights stopped for lesser lacerations. Wallin is a bit of a bruising, roughhousing heavyweight, which is a style that could present a challenge for Joshua on multiple levels.
The bulldog approach could tire Joshua, as stamina has been an issue in the past, or it could result in a cut or swelling similar to what Fury had to overcome in his scrape with Wallin. On Saturday, you’d expect Wallin to attempt to make the fight with Joshua a gritty, ugly, and tough inside battle.
Unless Joshua connects with something big early, he’ll have to show the toughness that many question he possesses to keep plans on track for a fight with Wilder.
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