Former two-time WBA, WBO and IBF heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua 26-3 (23) and ex-WBC ruler Deontay Wilder 43-2-1 (42) remain on a collision course to face each other next year if they win their upcoming bouts at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on December 23.
Britain’s Joshua, 34, will be looking for his third win of the year when he takes on 32-year-old Swedish southpaw Otto Wallin 26-1 (14). American Wilder, 38, has been matched with 31-year-old former WBO kingpin Joseph Parker 33-3 (23) of New Zealand.
Joshua and Wilder have been linked to a fight for much of this year and just when it seemed like it was over the line, internal changes at Saudi promotional outfit Skills Challenger Entertainment put a pause on negotiations.
But Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn says there is still great interest in the fight from the Middle East nation.
“They’ve have made it clear they want AJ against Wilder – and so does the world – and we will get there, I believe, but they both must win on December 23rd,” the Matchroom Boxing boss said to Fight Hub TV.
“Deontay has a pretty straight up and down opponent in Joseph Parker, who has definitely got himself together and is in a good place. If he can get into the fight early, he has a chance. He can get stopped early as anyone can against Deontay Wilder, but he’s a great fighter and a good guy as well.
“I think Wallin is a tough fight for AJ. Six weeks out against a tall, gifted southpaw, who is coming off a really big win in [Turkiye] against [former WBA and IBF cruiserweight champion Murat] Gassiev, who is full of confidence. AJ has to stamp his authority on that.
“If [Joshua and Wilder] can be victorious, then I do believe you’ll see that fight in the spring.”
Joshua is being trained for the Wallin fight by Ben Davison rather than Texan Derrick James, who coached him for his two previous bouts this year against Jermaine Franklin in April and Robert Helenius in August. The former lasted the 12-round distance while the latter was knocked out cold in seven.
“He’s been training with Ben the last three or four weeks,” Hearn explained. “Obviously, Derrick James has been aware of that situation, but just because of the time, he has decided to stay in the UK for this fight, because like I said, by the time you adjust to the time zones, it’s going to be too short of a period.
“It’s comfortable to train in the UK for this fight. Obviously, Ben was part of Tyson Fury’s team when he fought Otto Wallin so he’s aware of the challenge and AJ is in a good place, excited and ready to perform on December 23rd.”
