Anthony Joshua Full of Confidence for Otto Wallin Bout
In the main event of the monstrous December 23 Day of Reckoning fight card in Saudi Arabia, two-time unified heavyweight champion Anthony “AJ” Joshua (26-3, 23 KOs) faces Otto Wallin (26-1, 14 KOs). Joshua is focused and confident he will get the job done.
Joshua elected to not workout during a public workout event for the boxing press. Instead, he used the moment to work the pads with some kids from a local Saudi Arabian boxing club.
Speaking to Matchroom Boxing afterward, AJ explained that he went through a gym session earlier today and felt no need to do a public workout for the media. It was a move that cut against the grain of traditional scheduled public workout events.
But the goal remains the upcoming task at hand. Wallin is a skilled and experienced southpaw. Currently ranked second by the IBF and ninth by the WBA, Wallin is coming off a split-decision victory over former cruiserweight champion Murat Gassiev in October 2023.
Some in the boxing community think Wallin will score what would be considered an upset win. The Swedish native feels that Joshua is not the fighter he once was and is there for the taking.
The former unified champion disagrees with that assessment. It’s Joshua’s third fight in 2023. He believes the activity has been good for his body and kept his mind sharp. With the match against Wallin just days away, AJ said he’s in warrior mode.
READY FOR THE ASSIGNMENT AT HAND
Should Joshua win, next is a showdown with former WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder on March 9, 2024 in Saudi Arabia. Word on the street is that Joshua and Wilder have agreed to a two-fight deal for next year. But none of that matters if Joshua fails to take care of business against Wallin. Understanding what’s at stake, AJ told Matchroom that he has no doubt he’s going to win.
“I’m fully confident. There’s no more learning no more . . . If I ain’t good enough now, I’ll never be. I’m ready to fight, I’m ready to do my job. I’m looking forward to it.”
