Anthony Joshua will face Otto Wallin on December 23 this year – a must-win fight should he want to achieve his goal of becoming a three-time world heavyweight champion.
The Swedish southpaw is on a run of six victories since his sole career loss to Tyson Fury back in 2019, a unanimous decision loss that actually saw his stock rise as a tricky operator and solid test for the top dogs.
Joshua has two wins under his belt this year – a decision win against Jermaine Franklin and a knockout of Robert Helenius – and will deliver on a promise to fight three times in 2023 with the Wallin bout.
According to Barry McGuigan, it will be simple for the Brit to get the 27th win of his career.
Speaking to Pro Boxing Fans, McGuigan said there was no jeopardy in the Wallin fight before predicting Joshua would finish the job in the first half.
“I think the Otto Wallin fight is a waste of time, he’ll knock him out in half a dozen rounds.
The fight that we all want to see is the Wilder fight because there’s jeopardy in that fight. Wilder can bang and he’s dangerous from distance. Why are they going through this other fight before that? It just seems a pointless waste of time. Nevertheless, they’re teasing the fight and making it bigger.”
The end goal is indeed the Deontay Wilder fight, who competes on the same card against Joseph Parker. Those behind the boxing in Saudi Arabia are keen to make the fight should both men win.