Former World Heavy Weight Boxing Champion, Nigeria’s Anthony Joshua put in a terrific performance to beat Otto Wallin inside the distance but another former champion Deontay Wilder was not lucky as he lost on points loss to Joseph Parker on the same bill
Joshua boxed magnificently in Saudi Arabia, dominating Wallin before the Swede’s corner pulled him out of the fight at the end of the fifth.
Earlier in the night, American Wilder appeared a shadow of himself in Riyadh, and was hurt badly in the eighth as New Zealander Parker was awarded a unanimous decision.
“I heard that Deontay lost. So what? He’ll be back. Deontay, everything that he said about me, I could rip him apart right now, but I’m going to take the higher ground,” Joshua said.
“You can come back. If he wanted to, he can come back. I’m sure everyone still wants to see that fight.”
Parker, also a former world champion, was awarded a unanimous decision with the judges’ scoring it 118-111, 118-110 and 120-108.
Saudi organisers had already pencilled in the Joshua-Wilder bout for next year. While no contract had been signed, the pair were expected to enter the ring post-fight and announce a deal to fight at some point in early 2024.
Wilder admitted all the talk of a fight at least five years in the making had been “a distraction”, although Joshua more than did his part.
After the fight, promoter Eddie Hearn said Joshua is most likely going to face Croatia’s Filip Hrgovic for a vacant IBF world title, bidding to become a three-time world champion.
But as the dust settles in Riyadh, many boxing fans will be cursing their luck, as Joshua v Wilder slips away once again.
New Zealand’s Parker was on a run of three straight wins and two knockouts. He was demonstrating just why many pundits tipped him for the win.
For all Parker’s dominance, there was still a puncher’s chance for Wilder. He threw the kitchen sink in the 12th, but missed by an absolute mile.
Wilder refused to rule out retirement, but with just one win in four years his next move is uncertain.
Joshua could fight for a world title in his next outing if the IBF belt becomes vacant
With Oleksandr Usyk v Tyson Fury on 17 February in Saudi Arabia, a potential rematch between that pair could see the IBF title become vacant. A belt Joshua and Hrgovic could contest.
