Joshua, Wilder to fight different opponents on same night in Riyadh

Deontay Wilder, right, and Anthony Joshua at the OVO Arena, London, England, Nov. 15, 2023. (Reuters)

• Britain’s Joshua will take on Swede Wallin after Wilder faces Parker on the undercard
• If both win their fights next month, it could finally pave the way for a meeting in early 2024

LONDON: Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder will fight on the same night in Saudi Arabia on December 23, but against different opponents in Otto Wallin and Joseph Parker, respectively.
Former heavyweight champions Joshua and Wilder have long been touted for a bout despite both losing their world titles.
If both win their fights next month, it could finally pave the way for a meeting in early 2024.
Britain’s Joshua will take on Swede Wallin after Wilder faces Parker on the undercard.
“I can’t predict the future but I know where I want to go, I know what I want to do,” Joshua told a press conference.
“I set out a plan at the start of this year and I’m sticking to that. I’m a man of my word and I stand firm on what I believe, and I believe I want to be three-time heavyweight champion of the world.
“And my first stop to that... Is putting on a demolishing job against Otto Wallin.”
Joshua lost his heavyweight belts to Oleksandr Usyk, while Wilder was defeated twice by Tyson Fury.
Wilder has not fought since a first-round knockout victory over Finland’s Robert Helenius in October 2022.
Joshua also knocked out Helenius in the seventh round in his last bout in August.
Usyk and Fury were expected to headline the December 23 card in an undisputed clash, but that meeting was postponed following Fury’s controversial points win over MMA star Francis Ngannou.