Anthony Joshua Triumphs Against Otto Wallin In A Bittersweet Match

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London (Parliament Politic Magazine) – The sweetness was how “AJ ” closed space against a southpaw with intelligence and improvement. In how he controlled aggressiveness over five rounds against Otto Wallin, and how easy this was “AJ’s first fight under Ben Davison. That sweetness also came from Joshua’s ability to dominate and surpass Deontay Wilder, who suffered a catastrophic loss against Joseph Parker minutes before AJ knocked out Wallin. But the real cause of the resentment sprang from Wilder’s failure, which might have lost the American and his far-off for both a contest that would have defined their careers and fortune.

Parker Patiently: 12 Rounds Rings Target

Parker patiently navigated Wilder about the ring for 12 rounds, putting the boxer in front of the most intimidating puncher in a generation or whatever was left of him. Parker lost all patience for one round in eight and made threats to floor Wilder, much as his colleague Tyson Fury had done four times in three fights. In the end, Wilder stayed away from the canvas, although he sketched a blank to create the type of dramatic late finish that only he could. 

Or may have been produced in a prime that may have already passed. As the 34-year-old waited backstage at the Kingdom Arena, there was a lot of buzz that the former world champion would find a way to flatten Parker, a reliable, constantly improving fighter and former champion in his own right, and put pressure on Joshua. Although Joshua made the sensible decision to skip Wilder’s fight, doing so would have only helped the British player and spared him from being compared to his American opponent.

On the other hand, there was merely contrast this evening rather than comparison. Whereas Joshua was clinical against Wallin, Wilder struggled against Parker. Joshua drove the Swede away for five rounds, stabbing Wallin in the head and body with his right hand while covering almost all of his damage with well-placed, powerful blows. 

It was directed by Joshua, who crucially appeared more confident in his strategies than in years, so it wasn’t very dramatic, but it didn’t need to be. Joshua seemed wary throughout losses against Oleksandr Usyk, both under coach Rob McCracken and coach Robert Garcia, and even during victories over Jermaine Franklin and Robert Helenius, both under Derrick James this season. But he was sure of himself that night, maybe reinforced by his amateur victories and previous sparring sessions with Wallin.

Obviously, Joshua was the stronger puncher, but Wallin’s sporadic and ineffectual hookups just served to emphasize this point. Joshua proved his advantage as the first few frames went by, even if he wasn’t the faster puncher. He thudded a right cross into Wallin’s abdomen in the first and timed a counter to hit the 33-year-old’s head precisely; in the second, he crushed the man’s nose into a twisted, bleeding mess. Joshua had Wallin reeling in the third round following a strong left hook, but the Swede seemed unbalanced rather than out of sorts. 

But Joshua calmly twisted the screw in the fourth round, landing the identical hook once more and making Wallin appear frantic. The counterstrike upset Wallin’s balance this time. In the remaining seconds of the round, Joshua dealt as much damage as he could, and he would not be able to exact additional harm in the sixth. The sixth didn’t exist. Thankfully, Wallin’s crew determined that their fighter, who looked to have a fractured nose, should not continue. He’d long since lost the confidence he’d displayed throughout fight week.

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Even if the conclusion was a little underwhelming, AJ’s astute and aggressive performance here still has promise, especially considering it happened on the same night that his most significant potential adversary faltered and fell so severely. On the other hand, Joshua emphasized that his victory did not represent a return to his destructive past. “It’s not a flashback; it’s just another day at work,” he remarked, honoring Wallin. 

“Victory by any means had to be the goal.” My spirit and every cell guide me toward triumph when I pray. It is a risky industry. One victory moves you up the ladder, while a loss sends you plummeting to the ground. It’s similar to snakes and ladders. Right now, Wilder’s surroundings must appear scaly and serpentine. On the other hand, Joshua refrained from making fun of the Americans and expressed his hope that Wilder would return stronger.

Beth Malcolm

Beth Malcolm is Scottish based Journalist at Heriot-Watt University studying French and British Sign Language. She is originally from the north west of England but is living in Edinburgh to complete her studies.