In February, Sundsvallsson's Otto Wallin stood for his biggest victory in his career when he defeated respected American Dominic Breazeale after twelve rounds.
Since then, it has been quiet about the Swede who has won 22 of his 23 professional matches (14 KO) in his career.
But when his upcoming fight was presented today, it was a heavy one.
On October 30, Wallin will go to the main match at a big gala in the O2 Arena in London and will then face the British Dilliian Whyte who has a match result of 28 wins (19 KO) and only two losses.
"He is in the top five in the world"
"The Body Snatcher" then puts its master belt, WBC's interim title, at stake.
Note that compatriot Tyson Fury holds the "real" WBC World Championship belt.
- He is top-ranked in the world and a capable opponent.
The match is about WBC's interim belt which is the title just below the world championship title, Wallin says to SVT Sport.
White's only defeat has come against world star Anthony Joshua in 2015 and against former world champion Alexander Povetkin in 2020. The latter he took quick revenge on in March 2021 via knock in the fourth round.
How high do you personally rank him among the world heavyweights?
- I would say top five.
He has been at a high level for a long time and met good boxers.
He has been the first challenger for the WBC title for several years.
What tactics will you use in the match?
- I think it will be important to use what I am good at.
I'm faster and smarter than him.
I have a tricky style for many and it is also an advantage that I am "southpaw" (a left-handed boxer, reds note).
"The process has been fast"
For a long time, it looked like Otto Wallin's next opponent would be Cuban star Luis Ortiz (32-2, 27 KO).
The Swede accepted the offer and was in negotiations, but that match ran out of steam.
- The process has been fast regarding Whyte.
I had already agreed to a match against Ortiz and was waiting for it to be booked, but in the end he did not want to meet so it did not happen.
In the middle of all that, at the end of last week we received the offer of the match against Whyte and it has gone quickly in recent days, he says.
ARCHIVE: Biggest victory in the career of Otto Wallin (February 22, 2021)
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Otto Wallin meets Dominic Breazeale during tonight's match in Connecticut, USA.
Photo: SVT / Bildbyrån