December 22, (THEWILL) – Former heavyweight champion, Anthony Joshua, says he will have ‘no future’ in boxing if he does not defeat Otto Wallin this weekend. The 34-year-old Briton is set to face the Swedish southpaw on Saturday night, in Saudi Arabia.
Joshua, a two-time heavyweight titleholder, lost his WBA, IBF, WBO and IBO championships to Oleksandr Usyk, in September 2021. He now finds himself needing to rebuild his career against Wallin, who is ranked in the top 15 by all four major sanctioning bodies.
The same card will also feature former WBC champion, Deontay Wilder, leading to speculation that Joshua and Wilder could clash next if both are victorious. However, Joshua insists he is not looking past Wallin, declaring, “I know where I’m going in my life. But I’ve also got to say, this is the checkpoint and if I don’t get past this, there is no future.”
Joshua, who turns 35 next year, compiled a 24-2 record with 22 KOs during his first reign as heavyweight king, between 2016-2021. Yet, back-to-back defeats to Usyk, have left his career at a crossroads. He cannot afford another loss if he hopes to fight for a world title again.
Defeating the tough Wallin on Saturday is an absolute must and Joshua recognises this fact. “My heart, my soul, every cell in my body is fully focused towards Otto Wallin and doing what I know I can do,” he vowed.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
