Anthony Joshua said he will fight three times in 2023, and is staying true to his words as he will be facing off Otto Wallin tonight in Saudi Arabia, and the former unified heavyweight world champion is planning to go one up in 2024- and make four appearances in the squared circle.
Anthony Joshua had a very active 2023
While both 2021 and 2022 were only setbacks for the Brit, having lost to Oleksandr Usyk in their two fight saga, Joshua has not only been very active this year, but has also bounced back with victories in his two fights so far.
Having defeated Jermaine Franklin via unanimous decision in April n London, AJ returned to the English capital in August to secure a 7th round knockout win over Robert Helenius. And now, the former WBA, WBO and IBF titlist will be headlining the blockbuster “Day of Reckoning” event against Wallin to mark his third outing of 2023.
Stand on my business. @DAZNBoxing pic.twitter.com/ySUt0Ui7Wl
— Anthony Joshua (@anthonyjoshua) December 22, 2023
Looking forward to 2024 on a positive note, Joshua told Matchroom Boxing about his plans for next year, which include having four fights as he is aiming to stay even more active.
“I’m a fighter by nature. I look at myself in the mirror and all I see is a fighter. It’s just what I do. Whether I’m in camp or not, I’m always ready to fight,” Joshua said. “For me personally, inactivity is a great killer of ambition, so I made sure I’m staying active, I’m staying ambitious. The good thing about this card is that it shows you don’t really need long training camps. As long as you’re staying busy and active so next year I could actually get more busy.”
“I tended to have this mindset where it was that three month camps are important to get ready for fights. This came around really quickly. I said three [fights] this year so I’m ticking that box off. Next year I might go for four,” he added. [H/T Boxingscene.com]
Joshua’s first fight of 2024 likely against Deontay Wilder
The first of Joshua’s four fights in 2024 is likely to be against Deontay Wilder, the former WBC heavyweight champion who will be facing Joseph Parker in the co-main event of “Day of Reckoning”.
As per a recent report made by Dan Rafael, Joshua and Wilder have agreed on a two fight deal for next year, including their first meet targeted for Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on March 9th.
However, the fight will only happen if both Joshua and Wilder are successful in their respective fights tonight and if so happens, the first of Joshua’s four fights in 2024 will have him take on the “Bronze Bomber”.
