Langbahn Team – Weltmeisterschaft

Anthony Joshua vs. Otto Wallin

Day of Reckoning: Anthony Joshua vs. Otto Wallin
Date23 December 2023
VenueKingdom Arena, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Tale of the tape
Boxer United Kingdom Anthony Joshua Sweden Otto Wallin
Nickname "AJ" "All In"
Hometown Watford, Hertfordshire, UK Sundsvall, Västernorrland, Sweden
Pre-fight record 26–3 (23 KO) 26–2 (1) (14 KOs)
Age 34 years, 2 months 33 years, 1 month
Height 6 ft 6 in (198 cm)[1] 6 ft 5+12 in (197 cm)[2]
Weight 251 lb (114 kg) 238.6 lb (108 kg)
Style Orthodox Southpaw
Recognition WBO
No. 1 Ranked Heavyweight
WBC/The Ring
No. 2 Ranked Heavyweight
WBA/IBF/TBRB
No. 3 Ranked Heavyweight
Former 2 time unified heavyweight champion
IBF
No. 2 Ranked Heavyweight
WBC
No. 9 Ranked Heavyweight
WBO
No. 12 Ranked Heavyweight
TBRB
No. 4 Ranked Heavyweight
The Ring
No. 10 Ranked Heavyweight
WBA inter-continental heavyweight champion
Result
Joshua wins via 6th-round RTD

The Day of Reckoning, was the billing of a professional boxing event. While the fight card consists of eight fights, two heavyweight fights serve as co-main events. The first, Anthony Joshua vs. Otto Wallin was contested between English former WBA (Super), IBF, WBO, and IBO heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua and Swedish WBA inter-continental heavyweight champion Otto Wallin. The second, Deontay Wilder vs. Joseph Parker, was contested between American former WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder and New Zealand IBF and WBO inter-continental heavyweight champion Joseph Parker.

The event took place on 23 December 2023 at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Background and build up

Anthony Joshua (top left), Otto Wallin (top right), Deontay Wilder (bottom left) and Joseph Parker (bottom right)

In October 2023, it was reported that a bout between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk was being targeted for 23 December in Saudi Arabia with Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder serving as the co-feature.[3]

On 25 October, it was announced that Fury and Uysk was signed for 23 December.[4] On 27 October, Fury fought and defeated former UFC Heavyweight Champion Francis Ngannou which resulted in the bout with Usyk to be postponed due to the injuries Fury sustained.[5]

On 11 November, reports began to state that Joshua and Wilder could be fighting on the same card on 23 December.[6] On 15 November, it was officially announced that Joshua would face Otto Wallin and Wilder would face Joseph Parker on 23 December in Riyadh with a launch press conference in London.[7]

The bill featured the number one ranked heavyweight contenders from all four main boxing sanctioning bodies Deontay Wilder (WBC/WBA), Filip Hrgović (IBF) and Anthony Joshua (WBO).

The fights

Undercard

Former world title challenger Daniel Dubois (WBC:14th WBA:7th IBF/WBO:8th) scored a dramatic stoppage of previously undefeated Jarrell Miller (WBA:6th) with only 10 seconds left in the final round.[8] WBA Light Heavyweight Champion Dmitry Bivol won a wide points victory over IBO titleholder (and WBA No. 8 ranked) Lyndon Arthur.

Wilder vs Parker

Day of Reckoning: Deontay Wilder vs. Joseph Parker
Title(s) on the lineWBO Inter-Continental and vacant WBC International heavyweight titles
Tale of the tape
Boxer United States Deontay Wilder New Zealand Joseph Parker
Nickname "The Bronze Bomber" "Lupesoliai La'auliolemalietoa"
Hometown Tuscaloosa, Alabama, U.S. Auckland, Auckland Region, New Zealand
Pre-fight record 43–2–1 (42 KO) 33–3 (23 KOs)
Age 38 years, 2 months 31 years, 11 months
Height 6 ft 7 in (201 cm) 6 ft 4 in (193 cm)
Weight 214 lb (97 kg) 241+14 lb (109 kg)
Style Orthodox Orthodox
Recognition WBC/WBA
No. 1 Ranked Heavyweight
WBO
No. 9 Ranked Heavyweight
The Ring
No. 3 Ranked Heavyweight
Former WBC heavyweight champion
WBO
No. 3 Ranked Heavyweight
IBF
No. 4 Ranked Heavyweight
WBC
No. 9 Ranked Heavyweight
The Ring
No. 5 Ranked Heavyweight
WBO Inter-Continental heavyweight champion
Former WBO heavyweight champion
Result
Parker defeated Wilder via UD

Wilder entered the ring having boxed just three minutes in the past two years, whereas Parker had fought three times already in 2023.

Parker came forward with bursts and was generally the busier and more accurate boxer. At the end of 8th round an overhand right from Parker put Wilder in trouble before he was saved by the bell. Wilder failed to trouble Parker throughout the rest of the bout and after 12 rounds two of the judges scored it 118-110 and the third 120-108 all for Joseph Parker.

Speaking to TNT Sports in the aftermath Eddie Hearn said "Wilder had no idea, no clue. He lost every round. He had his hand up telling the referees he won the fight. He's not right. That's the reality. It was the most one-sided heavyweight fight I've ever seen. It's ruined our plans. We've got to go let Anthony Joshua know Wilder lost to Parker."

Joshua vs Wallin

Joshua put on a dominant performance in his first bout with new trainer Ben Davidson. He hurt Wallin with a hard left hook in the 5th, leading to Wallin's corner to put him out in-between rounds.[9]

Aftermath

With Wilder's one sided defeat, plans for a showdown with Joshua were dropped and speculation moved towards a bout with either Filip Hrgović or Zhilei Zhang.[10]

Fight card

Weight class vs Method Round Time Notes
Main Card (PPV)
Heavyweight Anthony Joshua def. Otto Wallin RTD 5 (12) 3:00
Heavyweight Joseph Parker def. Deontay Wilder UD 12
Light heavyweight Dmitry Bivol (c) def. Lyndon Arthur (c) UD 12 Note 1
Heavyweight Daniel Dubois def. Jarrell Miller TKO 10 (10) 2:52
Heavyweight Agit Kabayel def. Arslanbek Makhmudov TKO 4 (10) 2:03
Cruiserweight Jai Opetaia (c) def. Ellis Zorro KO 1 (12) 2:56 Note 2
Heavyweight Filip Hrgović def. Mark de Mori TKO 1 (10) 1:46
Heavyweight Frank Sánchez def. Junior Fa TKO 7 (10) 2:42

^Note 1 For WBA (Super) and IBO light-heavyweight titles
^Note 2 For The Ring cruiserweight title

Broadcasting

The event was available on PPV, via DAZN globally (including UK and Ireland).

In the UK and Ireland, the PPV was also available on TNT Sports Box Office.

References

Preceded by Anthony Joshua' bouts
23 December 2023
Succeeded by
Preceded by Otto Wallin's bouts
23 December 2023
Succeeded by
TBA
Preceded by Deontay Wilder' bouts
23 December 2023
Succeeded by
Preceded by Joseph Parker's bouts
23 December 2023
Succeeded by