Saudi Arabia’s grip on heavyweight boxing will be strengthened in Riyadh on Saturday night when Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder introduce a bill that promises to pave the way for the two former world champions to fight each other in the same city in March. There have been numerous reports suggesting Joshua and Wilder have signed contracts for their showdown next year, but both men remain vulnerable for all their chilling power and each faces a tough opponent this weekend.
Joshua has looked ordinary in his two fights this year, appearing to have lost much of the explosive spark and joy that once made him the richest and most popular heavyweight on the planet. He defeated mediocre opponents in Jermaine Franklin and Robert Helenius as he made a comeback after consecutive world title losses to Oleksandr Usyk, and now faces a southpaw in Otto Wallin.
Relating to: Anthony Joshua says losing to Otto Wallin would be the end of his career
Joshua has fought against the outstanding Usyk, another southpaw, and Wallin has only lost one fight so far; Tyson Fury was in danger of withdrawing from the bout after suffering cuts that later required 47 stitches to repair. Wallin, a 33-year-old Swede, is a solid and determined opponent and, more importantly, he seems to believe he can beat Joshua.
A more neutral perspective would expect Joshua to have a lot of experience and firepower. This striking punching finally resurfaced in August when, after six crafty rounds, Joshua finally let go of his hands and knocked out Helenius in the seventh round.
But there is an ambivalence about Joshua’s work in recent years, reinforcing the argument that he has never been the same fighter since walking through fire to beat Wladimir Klitschko in 2017. Joshua abandoned his long career after losing to Usyk for the first time. He joins then-coach Rob McCracken, who took him to the Olympic gold medal at London 2012, and Robert Garcia, who could not prevent Joshua from losing to the Ukrainian again. Later this year, he moved to Dallas to work with Derrick James. But he switched camps once again and drafted Wallin in his corner with Ben Davison, who trains Fury.
Wallin and Wilder understood Joshua’s uncertain state of mind; because the British fighter didn’t look very inspiring as he started Thursday’s press conference. “I’m trying to do a good job. What more can I say?” Joshua sighed with the air of a man who has endured one too many press conferences in the 10 years and two months since his professional debut. “I’m here to fight, I’m not here to party and get caught up in the glitz and glamor. Of course I’m nervous Because I want to perform. I want to win.”
Wallin talked about Joshua’s state of mind as well as his own qualities. “I’m a shifty southpaw, a good fighter. He also has a new coach, so that might be a little difficult. He used to be a happy man, but now from what I see, he looks very harsh and nervous. Maybe he’s tired of all this stuff.”
Wilder also answered questions about Joshua. “Many media asked me about his behavior. I told him you were putting too much pressure on him. He needs to focus on Otto Wallin because Wallin is 100% focused on him. I don’t know where Joshua’s mind is, I don’t know what he’s thinking. Maybe it’s all a facade, maybe it’s ready-made. Maybe he’s calm, maybe he’ll prove people wrong. But I’d tell her not to worry about the conversations [for Wilder v Joshua].”
Wilder needs to take his own advice. He put Fury through hell and after knocking out the WBC world champion twice, Wilder suffered a devastating defeat in the 11th round of their third fight in October 2021. After drawing both of them in 2018, Fury won their second fight. With another stop in early 2020. Wilder may still be boxing’s most devastating puncher, but this brutal trilogy will take huge chunks out of him. He has fought just one round in the 26 months since being stopped by Fury for the second time. In October 2022, he knocked out Helenius in less than three minutes with his typically chilling power.
The American brushed aside concerns that he might be suffering from ring rust against Joseph Parker, who has already fought and won three times this year; His last fight was two months ago in Riyadh when he impressively beat Simon Kean over three rounds. Parker is also a close friend and training partner of Fury and is trained by Andy Lee, who was instrumental in planning Fury to beat Wilder in 2020.
“I’m not actually winning the ring pass,” Wilder said. “Even though my body wasn’t in the ring, my mind never left the ring. I’m ready to go.”
Wilder hits so hard that 42 of his 43 wins have ended in brutal stoppages. “It’s always music to my ears because none of these guys’ power matches mine,” Wilder said. “Numbers don’t lie and numbers tell the truth. If he wants to engage in combat, it will be an earlier night than expected. My name is Dr Sleep these days, so I hope he brings a pillow and blanket since it’s a bit chilly at night.”
Even if logic doesn’t always hold in heavyweight boxing, Joshua and Wilder should win and set up their shootout in March. Whatever the outcome, the Saudis’ grip on the league will not be affected as it will also set the stage for next year’s biggest fight, when Fury and Usyk meet in February to decide who will become the first undisputed world heavyweight champion since 1999.
Boxing’s refusal to consider Saudi Arabia’s deplorable record on human rights is in danger of being forgotten, given that all these elite heavyweights are raking in money while facing their own demons in the ring.