Otto Wallin is in talks and “in the mix” for a heavyweight clash against Anthony Joshua, according to promoter Dmitriy Salita.
Joshua’s proposed all-British showdown with Tyson Fury fell through earlier this month after weeks of negotiations that saw talks between the rival camps shattered.
The 32-year-old is looking for a new opponent for a return to the ring, possibly as early as December, with Salita – who also promotes Claressa Shields – confirming that Wallin is “in the mix” to take on Joshua.
“Eddie (Hearn) and I spoke after the fight with Usyk and he showed interest in the fight with Otto Wallin,” Salita said. air sports. “Then there was the talk with Tyson (Fury) fighting Joshua, so he (Hearn) and I spoke and he said he was pursuing that opportunity, so those talks were suspended.
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Top Rank promoter Bob Arum believes Eddie Hearn never wanted the fight between Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury to happen.
“I know Otto’s name is in the mix with some others and it’s something we’re very interested in and we’ve shown interest to Eddie.
“From what I know and from what I understand, Otto is in the game for a possible fight with Anthony Joshua.”
Joshua insisted he would like to return to the ring before the end of 2022 following his split-decision loss to Oleksandr Usyk in August, a second straight defeat to the Ukrainian, although no tentative date or location has yet been confirmed.
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Barry Jones says he always thought the superfight between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua probably wouldn’t happen.
“I don’t know when Anthony Joshua’s next fight is, but if it’s December, January or later then it’s something we’re interested in,” added Salita. “Of course not too late, but if it’s Joshua’s next fight – which we’re talking about – then it’s something we’re very interested in.
“Otto is very confident in his chances of winning, while it’s possible Joshua feels a little intimidated after losing to a southpaw in Usyk. He did a great job but he lost.
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“There have been good discussions, we love the fight and we are ready any time, any day of the week.”
Wallin (24-1) has been inactive since beating Rydell Booker in May, while his only professional loss came in a grueling encounter and unanimous defeat to Fury in 2019.
The Swede offered Fury a tough test and left him with a horrific cut requiring 47 stitches, while Salita believes a meeting with Joshua could provide a future adversary for the “Gypsy King”.
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Tyson Fury appears to be in a fight with former WBA champion Mahmoud Charr as he claims the fight with Anthony Joshua is over. Credit: @TysonFury
“He (Wallin) is ready [to fight Joshua] without a doubt,’ said Salita. “Otto also wants to fight Tyson Fury. He gave Tyson the toughest fight of his career – many felt he won and some felt the fight should have been stopped.
“Anthony Joshua wants a fight with Tyson Fury, so I believe the winner of that fight is a real contender for Tyson Fury.
“As a boxing fan, the fight [for Joshua] with Otto Wallin makes sense.”
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