NGANNOU WILL STRUGGLE TO DERAIL IN-FORM JOSHUA, SAUS SWEDE WALLIN

Reuters 

 Heavyweight Otto Wallin was just as shocked as the rest of the boxing world when Francis Ngannou floored Tyson Fury but the Swede says it's unlikely there will be a repeat against Anthony Joshua when the two meet in Saudi Arabia on Friday.

Former UFC heavyweight champion Ngannou lost to Fury in his first professional boxing match in Riyadh last October in what many expected would be an easy win for the giant British boxer.

However, the mixed martial artist managed to down Fury in the third round, sending shockwaves through the boxing world.

"A guy like Ngannou, who is that big and who hits that hard, always has a chance, but I'm having a hard time seeing him beating Joshua," Wallin told Reuters from his home in New York where he is back in training.

The 33-year-old Wallin, who rose to prominence by going the distance before losing a world title fight to Fury in 2019, suffered only the second loss and first KO defeat of his pro career last December as Joshua out-boxed him over five rounds.

"Since boxing against Joshua, I have a lot of respect for him," Wallin said.

The career of Joshua, 34, had hit a rocky patch as he lost his world titles to Andy Ruiz in 2019 before winning them back and then lost them again to Oleksandr Usyk in 2021 before another defeat in a rematch with the Ukrainian the next year.

Against Wallin, however, the Briton was back to his imperious best, a stinging jab and lightning left hook doing the damage before the Swede's corner called it quits after the fifth round.

"Joshua was good – big, strong, long reach, he countered well," Wallin explained.

"There were some concrete things that he did well that I don't want to talk about, I want to keep them to myself, but there's other concrete things that I need to practise and do better, and that's what I'm working on now."

ANTHONY JOSHUA DOMINATES AS OTTO WALLIN'S CORNER STOPS FIGHT

Anthony Joshua didn't dismiss a future fight with Deontay Wilder, but could be in line to face Filip Hrgovic in 2024. Photo by Richard Pelham/Getty Images

Anthony Joshua's slow reboot of his career is complete after a sharp display forced Otto Wallin's corner to stop the fight after a punishing fifth round Saturday at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Joshua, a former world heavyweight champion, was full of menace and back to his destructive best as he broke down Wallin, whose corner threw in the towel before the start of the sixth round.

Joshua, 34, was more aggressive than he was in the early rounds of his previous bout against Robert Helenius in August, and after a sharp start, he left Wallin busted up to the nose and eyes.

Joshua (27-3, 24 KOs), who lives in North London, and Deontay Wilder were on a collision course for a megafight on March 9, but those plans were ruined by Wilder's feeble display and lopsided defeat by Joseph Parker earlier on the card.

But big things are still on the horizon for Joshua in 2024. The IBF world title could become vacant after the undisputed title showdown between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury on Feb. 17, and Joshua is likely to fight for it against Croatia's Filip Hrgovic, who also fought on the undercard Saturday and registered an easy win.

Joshua was moody in media interviews over the past week and admitted "there is no future" if he failed to beat Wallin.

But he emphatically quashed theories that he is unravelling under pressure and expectations. Joshua is on a mission to become a three-time world champion, and his third win since a second consecutive points loss to Usyk in a world title fight in 2022 continues his upward curve.

"Throughout the buildup, I was telling everyone I had to focus on the man in front of me," Joshua said in the ring afterward. "Not so much a throwback fight but another day at the office. The corner plays a big role so the fighter can fight another day.

"I'm on a journey and I'm going to stay focused. I don't celebrate when we win these fights, I celebrate when I win the titles."

Essex, England-based trainer Ben Davison was in Joshua's corner Saturday, with Texas-based Derrick James unavailable. Davison, Fury's former trainer, is the fourth trainer Joshua has worked with since 2021.

"I'm searching for greatness, and Ben Davison is a really good addition to my team," Joshua said. "They have helped me develop in a short space of time."

JOSEPH PARKER UPSETS DEONTAY WILDER WITH UNANIMOUS DECISION

Mark Robinson/Matchroom

Joseph Parker dominated Deontay Wilder on Saturday night in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, en route to the major upset in a battle of former heavyweight champions.

New Zealand's Parker prevailed via scores of 118-111, 118-110 and 120-108.

Wilder entered the bout as a -700 favorite, per ESPN BET, and did so with a deal in place to meet Anthony Joshua on March 9 in Riyadh, sources said. That agreement was contingent on Wilder and Joshua both winning.

Parker's victory over Wilder, which spoils those plans, was the co-feature to Joshua vs. Otto Wallin.

"Coming into this fight, everyone had other plans, but this is God's plan," said Parker, ESPN's No. 8 heavyweight. "Today, what a win. Merry Christmas to us."

Parker's strategy was a wise one: to avoid Wilder's dangerous right hand while forcing him to respect his foe's power. Parker (34-3, 23 KOs) timed Wilder early and often with looping right hands over the top.

The game plan seemingly made Wilder reluctant to unload his trademark reckless right hand that always finds its mark. But at 38 years old and with only one round of activity since November 2021, the American fighter admitted his "timing was off a little bit."

FIGHT HIGHLIGHTS | ANTHONY JOSHUA VS. OTTO WALLIN

 

ANTHONY JOSHUA VS. OTTO WALLIN | FULL WEIGH-IN

WILDER SAYS JOSHUA'S PROMOTER DON'T WANT TO LOSE THEIR 'CASH COW'

Reuters 

Former world heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder said the main reason he has not fought Anthony Joshua yet is because the British boxer's promoters are afraid of losing their "cash cow".

The pair will fight separate opponents on the same bill at a mega-show in Riyadh on Saturday, with former WBC title holder Wilder taking on Joseph Parker and Joshua, the former WBA, IBF and WBO champion, facing Otto Wallin.

Wilder and Joshua could fight each other next year if both win at the weekend, but while previous negotiations between the two camps reportedly broke down due to financial issues the American said that was not the case.

BOXING- INFLUENCERS PACK A PUNCH AS HEAVYWEIGHT LOGJAM FINALLY SET TO BREAK

Jake Paul vs. Nate Diaz. USA TODAY Sports 

Boxing enjoyed a bumper 2023 powered by the likes of crossover stars such as YouTuber Jake Paul and former UFC champion Francis Ngannou with things very much looking up for the sweet science.

Not all of the recent developments will be to the taste of the purists but for a sport whose demise is regularly predicted, boxing finds itself in rude health thanks in no small part to the influx of influencers into the ring.

Together with his older brother Logan, 28, Jake Paul has led the charge to introduce the sport to a new generation of fans.

Cynics might say it is just another vehicle for them to sell the various products they endorse, but they have undoubtedly caught the attention of the younger generations.