Joshua and Wilder have same target in bid to set up heavyweight extravaganza

22 December 2023 , 10:34

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Joshua and Wilder have same target in bid to set up heavyweight extravaganza

Anthony Joshua is only half right when he says Saturday night in Saudi Arabia is all about having his hand raised against Otto Wallin.

A win alone won’t do it. It’s about sending a message with a performance that puts him right back in the heavyweight picture. Though he has won twice since the defeats to Oleksandr Usyk, we still don’t know where he is from a career standpoint - and if he has enough left to rise again.

Jermaine Franklin took him the distance. I knew that would be a tough fight. We had Franklin in the gym with Daniel Dubois, and he could not budge him in sparring despite dominating. I could see he was robust and strong and easily able to frustrate any opponent.

Who wins on Saturday - Anthony Joshua or Otto Wallin? Let us know your prediction in the comments section below

Joshua beat Robert Helenius in the 7th. It was a good finish. And that is what we are looking for here. We want to see that Joshua can still knock guys out, that he can go through the gears and set up his opponent for the big finish.

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Wallin is big, strong and, though a southpaw, is easy to hit. Perfect for Joshua to demonstrate knockout power. This game is all about that and I really hope Joshua is explosive, not least to send a message to Deontay Wilder, who is lined up next.

Wilder has been generally dismissive of Joshua. He’d be a fool to discount anyone who hits as hard as him. Joshua punches an awful lot harder than Fury, but he has to show it on Saturday. He has to be emphatic against Wallin. And Wilder has to get rid of Parker. I’d expect Wilder to blow him out, as he did Helenius in a round in his last bout.

Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder are both fighting on the same card on December 23 (Getty Images)

That is his only outing in the two years since losing to Fury for the second time. Parker is hittable. If Wilder finds him it will be over. I don’t think Parker is busy enough or hits hard enough to trouble Wilder. Like Joshua, Wilder has to send his own message, and not only to Joshua, but to Fury and Usyk who fight early next year.

For Wilder and Joshua the goal is the same. To win spectacularly and set up what would be a serious box-office bash in the spring to rival Fury and Usyk. After that, the clamour will be for the winners to face off. Whilst Saturday’s heavyweight extravaganza is great, it is merely a showcase for what is to come.

Follow Barry on Twitter at @ClonesCyclone @mcguigans_gym

Barry McGuigan