Evander Holyfield’s Joshua-Wallin prediction

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Former two-weight champion Evander Holyfield has given his prediction ahead of the bout between Anthony Joshua and Otto Wallin.

The ex-cruiser weight and once-heavyweight did this while speaking to iFL TV recently following the announcement that former unified champion Anthony Joshua will face Otto Wallin in the ring on December 23.

Anthony Joshua’s loss of the WBA, WBO, and IBF titles to Oleksandr Usyk revealed things about Joshua that Evander Holyfield commented will affect whether the former champion’s hand will be raised after facing Wallin before Christmas Eve.

‘Well, [Joshua] got the range,’ said Holyfield. ‘It appears to me that when people don’t pressure him, he gets his shots off then he wins.’

It was not immediately clear why Joshua threw the three belts he lost to Usyk out of the ring at the end of their bout, but it was later known through an interview Joshua had not long ago. Joshua alleged that he was under pressure from people and threw the belt out of the ring at the end of the contest to show he did not care, but also complained that the pressure from fans, journalists, and pundits made him no longer enjoy participating.

Joshua’s promise to deliver three fights to his fans before the year runs out is still on the table, and the Brit is set to keep his word after a stressful search for a worthy opponent. Wallin is known to have given WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury a hard time in the ring during their meetup, famously leaving the Morecambe man with open flesh and taking him the distance.

The pressure Joshua will face is likely based on three things: many think he is past his prime; Otto Wallin is expected to be possibly very fit and to have no ring rust; and a loss to Wallin might bring his retirement closer than ever.

Having yet to satisfy the desire of some boxing fans, Joshua is expected to meet former WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder sometime next year for a test of skill and agility. The bout that was expected to be held both when they were the reigning heavyweight champions and this year is still to be held. Wilder keeps repeating that it was Joshua’s crew that was causing the delay.

Evander Holyfield believed that Joshua was better than Wallin but should handle his fear to perform as himself.

‘I don’t think he stands pressure real well, but if it’s a distance fight and they keep their measurements, he’s going to outpoint him,’ concluded Holyfield.