In the headline event of the “Day of Reckoning” card in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Anthony Joshua secured his third victory of 2023 with a convincing TKO over Otto Wallin. This win follows Joshua’s previous successes against Jermaine Franklin in April and Robert Helenius in August, where he delivered a seventh-round knockout.
Despite Wallin’s reputation as a formidable opponent, especially with his southpaw stance, Joshua dominated the match, achieving a fifth-round technical knockout. Wallin’s only previous defeat occurred in 2019 against Tyson Fury, with Fury winning by unanimous decision. However, Wallin gave the lineal champ a tough challenge that night.
With this triumph, Joshua’s record now stands at an impressive 27 victories and three losses, including 24 knockout wins. Before Joshua’s fight, Deontay Wilder faced former WBO heavyweight world champion Joseph Parker, losing by unanimous decision.
Wallin’s coach, Joey Garnache, opted to stop the fight to prevent his fighter from enduring further punishment. Joshua’s performance was nothing short of outstanding, and after the match, he declared to his former rival Andy Ruiz, “I’m back, I’m back.”