By Akinwale Kasali
Nigerian-born British Boxer, Anthony Joshua, has made a huge statement to his contemporaries in the World Boxing Heavyweight Category as he moved a step forward by knocking down his opponent, Otto Wallin.
The former WBC and WBO Champion knocked out Wallin in a spectacular fifth-round stoppage cruising to a remarkable win against a tricky opponent.
Joshua who had lost his title to Ukrainian Pugilists, Oleksandr Usyk came back to winning ways in a ‘Day of Reckoning Round’ at the magnificent Riyadh Stadium in Saudi Arabia.
The Ogun State born Boxer was back to his aggressive best in the opening two rounds stepping in with right hands. He was focused and powerful and lived up to the expectations of new trainer Ben Davison with his counters and he overpowered the Swede with the right-hand and left-hook combinations.
Joshua weighed Wallin down round after round with power shots, dominating from the start, alternating with mainly right hands to the head between spearing body punches.
This was the best Joshua has looked for a very long time. With a minute to go in the fifth, Wallin was hit by a combination from Joshua and staggered across the ring, and the British-Nigerian patiently picked apart the busted face and body of the Swede.
As Wallin went back to his stool, his team called referee Steve Gray over to end the fight. The perfect stoppage. The fight had been punched out of Wallin, Joshua proving all his doubters wrong in the process and announcing himself once again as a pivotal figure in the heavyweight Super League in Saudi Arabia.
In contemporary in the Heavyweight Cadre, Deontay Wilder lost to an Heavyweight Boxer, Joseph Parker.
Wilder’s timing was poor with Parker ducking under his dangerous right hand all night long. This was Parker performing at his peak.
Parker kept shocking the crowd as he beat Wilder down round after round and nearly ended the bout in the eighth round thanks to an assault in which the Alabama knockout artist was saved by the bell.
The victory has however given Joshua a huge boost as he continues to bring himself back to reckoning.
