Anthony Joshua secured his third victory of 2023 by defeating Otto Wallin in the main event of the Day of Reckoning in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This win is part of Joshua’s ongoing recovery from his two losses to Oleksandr Usyk. Following the fight, Lennox Lewis expressed uncertainty about Joshua’s current status.
The former heavyweight champion emphasized the challenges of determining if AJ is truly “back.” Lewis highlighted that Joshua faces a “long road ahead” in his journey to regain peak performance, underscoring the complexity of assessing a boxer’s comeback.
Lennox Lewis dismisses Anthony Joshua’s win vs Otto Wallin
Eddie Hearn, Anthony Joshua’s promoter, was quick to declare the British fighter “back” and label him “the best heavyweight” in the world after Joshua’s spectacular victory over Otto Wallin in Riyadh.
Like Lennox Lewis, Joshua was a former three-belt champion. To show off his skills, he knocked Wallin out before the sixth round. Joshua’s third straight victory in 2023 indicated that he had successfully bounced back from his two defeats to Oleksandr Usyk.
However, given that Wilder lost to Joseph Parker in the previous fight, the highly anticipated 2024 matchup between Joshua and Wilder appears doubtful. Joshua, adopting a more cautious approach in evaluating his own performance, delegated the decision-making to his new coach, Ben Davison. Lennox echoed this cautious sentiment, noting that Wallin’s lackluster performance in the ring didn’t offer compelling evidence.
Lennox Lewis on Anthony Joshua stopping Otto Wallin: “I couldn't really judge with this fight if he's back or not. He definitely looked good, he did what he was supposed to do. Wallin didn't have no definition in his body, I don't know if he worked hard in training. I think it…
— Michael Benson (@MichaelBensonn) December 24, 2023
The divergent viewpoints from Hearn’s support to Joshua’s cool-headed reply and Lewis’s demand for more proof elucidate how difficult it is to determine a boxer’s actual form. While Joshua continues to work on his comeback, doubts persist regarding the likelihood of a matchup with Wilder and the process of regaining his position as the heavyweight division’s dominant force.
Anthony Joshua vs Tyson Fury bout rumors
Joshua’s triumphant comeback to the winning ways of 2023 culminated this past weekend at the Day of Reckoning, where he defeated Otto Wallin to record his third victory of the year. However, the 34-year-old British boxer has big plans for 2024 after the former two-time world champion showed a strong desire to return to the world title picture.
Joshua’s attention is now turning to the possibility of taking on Deontay Wilder in 2024 after his victory over Wallin. The eagerly awaited fight is more exciting because it comes right after the much-awaited February 17 Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk bout. The four major players in the heavyweight division in recent years Joshua, Wilder, Fury, and Usyk would fight within months if both bouts go through.
This run of fights not only reduces the field of contenders but also raises the thrilling prospect of an all-British bout between Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury, adding excitement to the heavyweight division and capturing the interest of boxing fans across the globe.
