Anthony Joshua showcased his determination to secure a third world heavyweight championship by convincingly defeating Otto Wallin.
The 34-year-old former unified title-holder dominated the early rounds against Wallin, who previously went the distance with Tyson Fury in September 2019.
In the initial four rounds, Joshua skillfully controlled the bout, inflicting damage to Wallin’s face. The momentum escalated in the fifth round when a powerful left hook from Joshua staggered his opponent, forcing Wallin into survival mode until the round’s conclusion. Recognizing the severity of the situation, Wallin’s corner decided to wave off the fight, ending it with their fighter remaining on his stool.
After recording his third win of 2023, Joshua said: “Otto is a true warrior. The corner play a huge role so their fighter can live to fight another day.
“I’m a gifted fighter and I use my gift. I’m searching for greatness and [trainer] Ben Davison is a great addition to my goal. I’m sure you can see that today.
“We don’t celebrate when we win these fights, we celebrate when we win titles.
“Not so much a throwback fight, just another day in the office. Victory by any means.
“You want to do whatever it takes to be victorious. That’s all I want to be.”
Promoter Eddie Hearn added: “This Anthony Joshua is the best heavyweight in the world. With this mindset he is unbeatable.
“That was a punch-perfect performance against an excellent heavyweight — 2024 is going to be a massive year for him.”
Leading up to the event in Riyadh, much anticipation surrounded the possibility of a face-off between Joshua and former WBC champion Deontay Wilder. However, Wilder’s defeat and subpar performance against Joseph Parker earlier in the night shifted the narrative.
Despite the history of verbal sparring between Joshua and Wilder, AJ chose not to criticize his counterpart. Instead, he refrained from making negative remarks about Wilder’s performance, displaying a level of sportsmanship and restraint in acknowledging the challenges and outcomes of the night’s events.
He said: “I heard that Deontay lost. So what? He’ll be back.
“Everything he said about me, I could rip him apart but I’m going to take the higher ground.
“He can come back. I’m sure everyone still wants to see that fight.”
Hearn added: “We signed for Wilder, he lost tonight, that’s OK. It happens in boxing. Maybe it’s a blessing because this guy is about championships.”