Boxing: Joshua swift against Wallin, Wilder dominated by an impressive Parker

Britain's Anthony Joshua gave Sweden's Otto Wallin no chance to clinch his 3rd straight win of 2023, at the last major boxing event of the year on December 23 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. American Deontay Wilder lost to New Zealand's Joseph Parker.

Great Britain's Anthony Joshua won comfortably against Sweden's Otto Wallin on December 23 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. © AFP / FAYEZ NURELDINE

By: Valentin Berg Follow

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The "Day of Reckoning" did not give the same verdict for everyone in the heavyweight division. On the occasion of the last major English boxing event of the year, held in Riyadh in Saudi Arabia, Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder returned to the ring on December 23 during an evening that was supposed to prepare a potential future fight between the two fighters in 2024.

Britain's Anthony Joshua, former WBA, WBO and IFB heavyweight champion (34 years old, 1m98, 111 kg), didn't have to force his talent to win against Sweden's Otto Wallin (33 years old, 1m97, 116 kg). After two first rounds of observation between the two fighters, Joshua then took control of the fight by accelerating against his opponent.

More offensive and precise than the Swede, "AJ" first made him wobble at the end of the 3rd round with a powerful left hook. He continued to attack him in the 4th round by placing several punches through his defense, while Wallin tried to hit him on the counterattack but without much success. The 5th round was ultimately fatal for the Swede: victim of another devastating hook from Joshua and on the verge of breaking, Wallin was forced to retire before the sixth round resumed.

In his 29th fight, Wallin conceded a second career loss to the Briton. Joshua picked up his 27th overall win, and his third in a row in 2023, thanks to this technical knockout of his opponent. After losing his belts following a double loss to Ukraine's Oleksandr Usyk, who was better than him in 2021 and 2022, Joshua has been in great form in Riyadh and will try to reclaim the heavyweight category in 2024.

Heeeee's Baaccck!

Anthony Joshua defeats Otto Wallin via corner stoppage

Do you think this is the AJ we are used to seeing?#RiyadhSeason pic.twitter.com/0FghhUQ6cP

— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) December 24, 2023

Wilder powerless against Parker

The other key fight of the evening was between two former world heavyweight champions: the American Deontay Wilder (38 years old, 2m01, 97 kg) against the New Zealander Joseph Parker (31 years old, 1m93, 112 kg). While Wilder is feared for the power of his punches and his ability to inflict lightning knockouts on his opponents, he was never able to find the solution against an explosive Parker who took him at his own game.

The New Zealander started to be more enterprising in the 4th round against a very wait-and-see Wilder, before landing a good hook in the 5th round. He then made a very good sequence at the end of the 8th round by shooting Wilder with punches in the corner of the ring. At the end of the 12 rounds, Parker logically won on points unanimously against Wilder, who seemed helpless throughout the fight and never really able to impose his boxing. "I have a lot of respect for Wilder, but we've been training really hard for it," Parker said after the fight. It's huge and it's the best opponent I've ever faced.

The American ended the year with a third loss in 47 career fights and saw his future darken at heavyweight. Parker, meanwhile, picked up his 34th win overall and can look forward to a shot at a title in 2024 after his impressive performance in Riyadh.

Too much for the Bomber Joseph Parker

shook the boxing world with a unanimous win over Wilder#RiyadhSeason pic.twitter.com/PWnf3SKrgE

— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) December 24, 2023

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