"Otto Wallin, the upcoming opponent of former heavyweight titlist Joshua, believes that Joshua is no longer the dominant fighter he once was. Wallin acknowledges Joshua's past success but suggests that there has been a decline in his performance. According to Wallin, Joshua has already reached his peak. This revelation could work in Wallin's favor as he prepares to face the towering Londoner in Saudi Arabia. Wallin further speculates that Joshua may be mentally fragile, lacking confidence in himself and being affected by criticism and negative reactions from the crowd."
Sweden’s Wallin believes that now is the perfect time to challenge AJ. According to Wallin, AJ was once a fearsome and aggressive fighter, but after his losses to Ruiz and Usyk, he has shown vulnerability and a dislike for getting hit. While Wallin is not known for his knockout power, he is an aggressive fighter who gave Tyson Fury a tough fight in 2019.
On the other hand, Joshua is well aware of the significance of this weekend's fight for his career. He showcased his punching power in his last fight against Robert Helenius, where he scored a knockout victory. It's worth noting that the majority of Joshua's wins have come by knockout, with 23 out of 26 victories ending early. He has also defeated notable opponents like Wladimir Klitschko, Dillian Whyte, and Joseph Parker. As for the Ruiz rematch, Joshua made adjustments and won convincingly. Only Usyk has been able to dominate him so far.
“He should be banking on his skills,” Joshua responds to Wallin’s assertion that he’s become weak. As far as Joshua is concerned, Wallin shouldn’t be focusing on his opponent’s mental state. “He should be banking on the fact he’s worked hard, he trusts his skills and he thinks he’s good enough…he shouldn’t be banking on whether I’m mentally strong or not.” As Joshua sees it, Wallin is approaching matters the wrong way heading into Saturday’s fight. “That’s crazy,” he says, “to go into a fight and hope that the fighter you’re fighting isn’t mentally strong and that gives you an opportunity to beat them.”
