Former two-time unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua 26-3 (23) will have his hands full against Swedish southpaw Otto Wallin 26-1 (14) when they clash at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on December 23, according to a fellow heavyweight contender on the card.
American Jarrell ‘Big Baby’ Miller 26-0-1 (22), who is slated to face Britain’s Daniel ‘Dynamite’ Dubois 19-2 (18) in the same ring on the same night, says Wallin represents a banana peel for Joshua.
“I feel honestly that AJ might have made a mistake with picking Otto Wallin,” Miller told SecondsOut.
“Even though Otto Wallin is not a one-punch knockout kind of guy, he is durable and he comes to fight. He is not a quitter and it is going to be a tough fight for AJ. I don’t think that it is going to be easy at all.
“The mental state that AJ has, is he going to hold up? When he fights in the UK he has a little more oomph in his step. When he fights outside the UK, we don’t get the same fiery person, the playing ground is going to be a little more even in Saudi.
“I wish all of the luck to Wallin. I want to really be the one to knock out AJ, but may the best man win, it is what it is.”
Wallin is four years removed from his strong showing in a losing effort against current WBC champion Tyson Fury 34-0-1 (24). In that fight Wallin opened up lacerations over Fury’s right eye that later required 47 stitches. Wallin lost the fight by unanimous decision but was far from disgraced.
Since then Wallin has won six straight bouts, including a decision win over former WBA and IBF cruiserweight champion Murat Gassiev 30-2 (23) in Turkey in September.
It comes as no surprise that Wallin agrees with Miller. He sees a number of factors that he thinks will work against Joshua.
“Well, I just feel like it’s short notice [for Joshua],” Wallin told Boxing Social. “He’s working with a new trainer already. I don’t think he’s in a good place. Coming in on pretty short notice against a southpaw, again. It’s not a good idea and I’m gonna show him.
“Definitely [I’m confident of beating Joshua], otherwise I wouldn’t take this fight.
“I’ve been waiting for this for so long. I’m not going to let it pass by without a victory. I had a good fight with Fury, but I lost that fight and I’m not gonna lose again.
“I feel like I’m so ready for this fight and get the respect that I deserve. I think he’s on his way out. I think that he’s been a very good fighter, he deserves respect, but I just think his time is coming to an end and mine is just starting.”
