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How it unfolded
That was a pretty special night. Here’s the results from the main card
- Anthony Joshua def. Otto Wallin via fifth-round KO.
- Joseph Parker def. Deontay Wilder via unanimous decision.
- Dmitry Bivol def. Lyndon Arthur via unanimous decision.
- Daniel Dubois def. Jarrell Miller via 10th-round TKO.
- Agit Kabayel def. Arslanbek Makhmudov via fourth-round TKO.
- Jai Opetaia def. Ellis Zorro via first-round KO.
- Filip Hrgovic def. Mark De Mori via first-round TKO.
- Frank Sanchez def. Junior Fa via seventh-round TKO.
‘This guy is about championships’
Anthony Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn, speaking to TNT Sports: “I believe this Anthony Joshua is the best heavyweight in the world. That was a punch-perfect performance tonight. A stunning performance. One that says he is back. With this mindset in this team, I think he is unbeatable. 2024 will be massive for him.
“It was a tough decision between the championship and Wilder. We signed for Wilder, he lost tonight, that’s OK, it happens in boxing. Maybe it is a blessing because this guy is about championships. He wants to become a three-time heavyweight world champion. It will be Filip Hrgovic against AJ for the world title.
“I am so happy to see him smiling and performing so well. He is a dangerous man when he is in that kind of mood. 2024 is going to be very interesting, every heavyweight should be on notice – he is back.”
‘I could rip him apart right now’
Rip him apart verbally, of course. Although…
Anyway, here’s what Anthony Joshua had to say after tonight’s encounter.
Speaking to DAZN, AJ said: “I can’t rate my performance. Ben Davison, my performance team, I’ll leave it up to them.
“Tonight was just another fight. I respect Otto. Not so much a throwback fight, just another day in the office. Victory by any means. Like Otto, you want to do whatever it takes to be victorious. That’s all I want to be.”
Asked about Wilder’s loss, he added: “I wasn’t watching. I just focused on myself. I know how important it was for me. I heard that Deontay lost. So what? He’ll be back. Deontay, everything that he said about me, I could rip him apart right now, but I’m going to take the higher ground.”
‘He was crisp and sharp’
Our man Wally Downes Jr gives his verdict on tonight’s contest and looks at who AJ will fight next.
What’s next?
Always the same with boxing. The sweat is still pouring from the fighters and we’re looking at who’s up next.
Obviously Deontay Wilder was the plan in March, but his defeat to Joseph Parker earlier tonight might have killed that one. In my opinion Wilder sounded like he was considering retirement.
It certainly won’t be Jarrell Miller. Daniel Dubois? Zhilei Zhang? Or the winner of the undisputed between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk?
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