They might not be fighting each other this weekend in Saudi Arabia but Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder each enter separate tests on Saturday that could be the final hurdle before seeing the former heavyweight champions finally share the same ring in early 2024.
Joshua (26-3, 23 KOs) welcomes former title challenger Otto Wallin (26-1, 14 KOs) in the main event of a blockbuster pay-per-view card dubbed "The Day of Reckoning" from Kingdom Arena in Riyadh (live on DAZN beginning at 11:30 a.m. ET --subscribe now). Wilder (43-2-1, 42 KOs), meanwhile, returns from a 14-month layoff to face former champion Joseph Parker (33-3, 23 KOs) in the co-main event as Saudi Arabia continues to pour money into the sport of boxing to make the kind of fights that have been difficult in the past.
Considering the 34-year-old Joshua, who lost his trio of titles to Oleksandr Usyk in 2021, has been linked to talks of a fight against Wilder, 38, dating back to when both first became titleholders in 2015, the prospect of them fighting in March, in the first of a rumored two-fight deal, is incredibly exciting.
That doesn't mean it's difficult not to ask the knee-jerk question most boxing fans are thinking: After such a long build toward this seemingly inevitable fight, why not just pair them together now?
Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Sport, Joshua's long-time promoter, cut right to the chase during a recent interview with "Morning Kombat," referencing how hastily this weekend's card was assembled after months of rumors that the two heavyweights could appear on the same card.
"I think we had six weeks and the card was put together quickly," Hearn said. "By the way, I think Otto Wallin is a very dangerous fight six weeks out. [Joshua] is in there with a southpaw who is just coming off a victory over [former cruiserweight titleholder Murat] Gassiev. And Joseph Parker is full of confidence and Wilder has been out for a long time.
"But, look, the reason they are fighting on the same card and the reason we are all going to Saudi Arabia is that we want to make Joshua and Wilder in Saudi Arabia. But everybody wants that fight to happen and if they both win on [Saturday] there is a great chance that you see what I think is the biggest fight in boxing."
The main problem with marination in boxing over the past few decades is that placing big-name fighters into bouts they could lose -- which is the case for both Joshua and Wilder, despite each being sizable betting favorites -- has proven to be a major mistake because of upsets. In this case, neither Joshua nor Wilder are champions, so it's possible that the fights against each other still take pace, regardless of defeat, simply due to the sizable investment from Saudi Arabia.
"I think a win makes it look great on paper for both of us [in terms of] fighting each other," Wilder said during Monday's "Morning Kombat" interview. "But it's no added pressure on my end. Maybe for Joshua, there's more pressure for him than I because I know what I'm coming to do. I'm blessed with God-given power and it's natural. There is nothing I have to inject my body with. There is no type of contaminated meat that I have to eat to make me feel some kind of way. I don't have to alter my gloves in any way, it's all natural to me."
After coming up empty in the final two fights of his trilogy with Tyson Fury, both of which ended via violent stoppage, Wilder sat out a full year before returning last October to knock out Robert Helenius in Round 1. Wilder went on to enjoy a bit of a spiritual rebirth after attending an Ayahuasca retreat in South America and has been noticeably happier as a result.
This is a far cry from the more combative side of Wilder that shared more than a few conspiracy theories as to why he lost to Fury, and even fired co-trainer Mark Breland for throwing in the towel to save Wilder from further punishment in his 2020 Fury rematch.
"My mindspace is in a wonderful place. It's in an over-happy place," Wilder said. "I'm always smiling nowadays. It's a joy to be able to enjoy life. Life passes us by so quickly because we are living in borrowed time, nothing is promised. You have to enjoy every moment."
Joshua, the global star from the United Kingdom, has also traversed a difficult road mentally from his pair of title losses to Usyk, which triggered yet another trainer change and more than a few bizarre interviews where Joshua has appeared defensive and agitated. He recently attended a darkness retreat where he spent four days alone in a pitch black room in isolation.
The troubles for Joshua appear to link all the way back to his 2019 upset loss to late replacement Andy Ruiz Jr. at New York's Madison Square Garden, which came as part of a much-publicized U.S. debut. Even though Joshua would regain his titles in their immediate rematch, as Ruiz came to Saudi Arabia in obese physical shape, he has been undergoing a bit of an identity crisis as a boxer in the aftermath, even with a pair of 2023 rebound victories over Jermaine Franklin and Helenius (who also fought Joshua as a late replacement).
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"This is just purely about doing the right thing and being 100 percent perfect every second that I am in that ring," Joshua told CBS Sports. "That way I will be victorious and victory will come by knockout if I carry out my plan A, B and C; it will lead me to the KO.
"Otto Wallin is a southpaw so he's very tricky. We have to be very clever. He has a character that is very resilient, as we saw against Tyson Fury. He can box off the back foot and come forward so it's going to be a good challenge for us because he's a complete fighter."
Wallin, a 33-year-old native of Sweden, is considered much more a live dog than Parker. Standing only half of an inch shorter than Joshua's 6-foot-6 frame, Wallin is a southpaw whose reputation was extremely bolstered in 2019 when he lost a title shot against Fury despite opening up a cut that required 47 stitches above Fury's eye and came close to giving Wallin a stoppage win.
The 33-year-old Parker, a New Zealand native who lost his WBO title to Joshua in their 2018 unification bout, is younger than Wallin but not considered as big of a threat to upset Wilder due to the gap in punching power between them. Still, Parker is an experienced boxer who owns wins over Ruiz, Hughie Fury and Derek Chisora. And despite a reputation damaging stoppage loss to Joe Joyce in 2022, has had plenty of experience in recent years under head trainer Andy Lee in the camp of Tyson Fury, who was 2-0-1 in this three fights with Wilder.
"Tyson has been very helpful and has given good advice," Parker told CBS Sports on Monday. "[Andy Lee and I] came up with a good plan and have leaned on Tyson for a bit of advice. The big difference is that I don't have the same height and reach [as Fury]. But my strengths are different to his strengths and I will use mine to the best of my ability.
"You will see on fight night, I'm going to put on the best performance. I'm going to be quick and I'm going to be fast and I'm going to be punching with a lot of power. I'm going to be deliberate and I'm going to smash his face."
The undercard is loaded up with other top heavyweights looking to make a splash and stay in title contention as Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk prepare to crown an undisputed champion in early 2024. A win on Saturday for any of these men could put them in line for a shot at one of the four recognized titles at some time next year.
Let's take a closer look at the rest of this loaded up undercard with the latest odds before getting to predictions and expert picks on the co-headliners.
Day of Reckoning fight card, odds
| Fighter | Fighter | Weight class |
|---|---|---|
| Anthony Joshua -455 | Otto Wallin +345 | Heavyweight |
| Deontay Wilder -650 | Joseph Parker +460 | Heavyweight |
| Dmitry Bivol (c) -3500 | Lyndon Arthur +1350 | WBA light heavyweight title |
| Daniel Dubois -220 | Jarrell Miller +180 | Heavyweight |
| Jai Opetaia -2400 | Ellis Zorro +1150 | Cruiserweight |
| Arslanbek Makhmudov -1000 | Agit Kabayel +650 | Heavyweight |
| Frank Sanchez -2000 | Junior Fa +1050 | Heavyweight |
| Filip Hrgovic | Mark De Morio | Heavyweight |
Day of Reckoning viewing info
- Date: Dec. 23
- Location: Kingdom Arena -- Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- Start time: 11:30 a.m. ET
- How to watch: DAZN PPV (subscribe now) | Price: $39.99
Predictions
Although the rest of Saturday's super card features recognized names, including 2022 fighter of the year Dmitry Bivol, the majority of matchups are one-sided on paper. Luckily for fans, both Wilder and Joshua have signed up for fights they could very well lose.
Yet, given the amount of money at stake in the pending two-fight series between the two, and the lack of finishing power from both Wallin and Parker, it's more likely things go to plan for the big-money investors who have spared no expenses to not only make the event happen but continue Saudi Arabia's plans to be a new global hub for big-time combat sports events.
Even with the layoff, Wilder has the power and conditioning to eventually catch Parker, even if the former champion is able to outbox Wilder leading up to a possible late stoppage. For as much as Wilder often gets criticized for his technical disadvantages, despite being a former U.S. Olympic bronze medalist, he has long shown the patience to make opponents pay for even the slightest mistake late in a bout.
Joshua, on the other hand, will likely have to work harder. He committed too much to being a boxer in both losses to Usyk, when playing the role of physical and mauling puncher could've been a more sound strategy. And was both passive and boring for the majority of his fight against Helenius before delivering a perfect knockout blow that reminded fans of his power and natural finishing skills.
As long as Joshua commits to playing the role of the bigger man, it's likely he does enough to take a decision. The same result that would be difficult to see Wallin get the nod for winning unless he does so in dominant fashion given the financial commitment that region has given to employing Joshua's services as a global star.
While it may be a bit more of a dicey walk for Joshua than Wilder on this day, both bouts are expected to be competitive.
Picks: Wilder via KO8; Joshua via UD12
