Destructive Anthony Joshua dished out a brutal five-round beating to Sweden’s Otto Wallin, throwing his name into the hat for more big fights in 2024.
Joshua was emphatic, dominating from the opening bell and bossing every session until Wallin was withdrawn by his trainer, Joey Gamache, at the close of the fifth-round.
The former two-time champion bossed behind straight right hands and heavy left hooks and was impressive winning his third contest of the year, having defeated Jermaine Franklin in April and Robert Helenius in August.
Joshua fired off a good right to the body in the first and he was positive, focused and determined. In the other corner, Wallin was hesitant and not quick enough to move out of the way of several Joshua lead rights.
Wallin struggled defensively. Joshua was sharp, imposing and had dominance on his mind. Wallin was pinned back, cautious and bleeding from the nose in the second round.
The Swede, who fights out of New York, had given Tyson Fury significant issues in 2019 and who was coming off one of the best wins of his career against Murat Gassiev on September 30, but the Londoner and 2012 Olympic champion was methodical and breaking up Wallin up and down with those straight right hands.
Wallin was also nailed by a cuffing left hook that caused him to stumble and although Wallin was trying to stay with Joshua he was getting picked off and his face was marking up. Joshua’s shots were laced with equal doses of spite and precision. The right, either as a lead or behind the jab, was a significant difference maker and after four rounds Wallin had taken a beating.
In Wallin’s corner, trainer Gamache told his fighter not to let Joshua get set, but Joshua was dominating where and how the contest was being fought.
In the fifth, Joshua landed a thumping right hand-left hook that sent Wallin staggering uncontrollably across the ring. Joshua cranked up the pressure, battering Wallin with both hands, and while Wallin might have welcomed the bell, trainer Gamache had seen enough and withdrew his man almost on the spot.
Joshua, having his first fight with Ben Davison in the corner, had been imperious and faultless. Wallin, who had only lost to Fury, had been blown away.
Wallin walked to the ring to Abba’s 1980 classic The Winner Takes it All but left empty-handed and his record falls to 26-2 (14 KOs).
“I respect Otto,” said Joshua, post-fight. “Throughout the build-up, I said I need to respect the man in front of me. He’s a true warrior. I’m sure he would have carried on. I’m just a gifted fighter who has a special gift. Today was just my day.”
Joshua was asked about whether he had seen Deontay Wilder lose to Joseph Parker in the fight before his, but Joshua had not watched.
“I just focused on myself,” said AJ. “I heard Deontay lost, so what, he’ll come back.”
Then, with a broad smile, he confirmed his goal is to become a three-time world champion.
“I’m one step at a time, but that would be great,” Joshua, now 27-3 (24 KOs) added.
