Anthony Joshua set to fight Otto Wallin in Saudi Arabia
Former two-time world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua will face Otto Wallin of Sweden on December 23 in Saudi Arabia, promoters said Wednesday.
The date was initially set for an undisputed heavyweight showdown between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk but that bout was postponed after Fury barely beat Francis Ngannou last month.
Deontay Wilder, who lost his WBC belt to Fury in 2020, is scheduled to fight former champion Joseph Parker on the undercard next month in Riyadh.
The 34-year-old Joshua last fought in August when the Briton beat Finland’s Robert Helenius in a seventh-round stoppage at the O2 Arena in London.
Joshua and Wilder — both looking for another title shot — could fight each other next if they win in Saudi Arabia. Fury and Usyk are expected to fight in early 2024.
“I can’t predict the future, but I know what I want to do,” Joshua said at a press conference. “I believe I’m going to be a three-time heavyweight champion and the first step is to put a demolition job on Otto Wallin.”
The 32-year-old Wallin’s only loss was to Fury in a 12-round unanimous decision in 2019.
Joshua lost his WBA, WBO and IBF heavyweight belts to Usyk in 2021 and was defeated in their rematch last year.