Carl Froch shares his honest opinion on the fights between Anthony Joshua and Otto Wallin, and Deontay Wilder against Joseph Parker. Initially, he wasn’t overly excited but acknowledges that together, these fights create a significant spectacle.
“So we’ve got Anthony Joshua against Otto Wallin, it’s not a bad fight actually, better than what I first thought when I heard about it.”
Joshua’s Mental Battle and Wallin’s Challenge
Froch emphasizes the mental battle Joshua faces following his losses, suggesting that while physically prepared, his mental game might be a concern. He also highlights Wallin’s competence, especially after his narrow loss to Tyson Fury.
“But mentally, there are issues. So the Otto Wallin fight for him is shouldn’t be a tricky fight, but it’s a test. Otto Wallin’s not a bad fighter, he lost only his only losses to Tyson Fury and he gave Fury a horrific cut above one of his eyes.”
Wilder vs. Parker: More Than Just a Fight
Froch sees the Wilder vs. Parker fight as not just a contest but a step towards a larger narrative in heavyweight boxing, potentially leading to a Joshua-Wilder showdown.
“And then when you couple that with Deontay Wilder fighting Joseph Parker on the same night as a show, as a spectacle, it’s one to tune into. Individually these fights aren’t that big, together they’re pretty big.”
Froch is candid about the business aspect of these fights, suggesting that financial incentives, particularly from Saudi interests, are driving these matchups more than the sport itself.
“The reason I don’t think it’s happening is because the AJ-Wilder fight happen straight away, it could be career curtain for Anthony Joshua… they’re just squeezing that extra bit of juice out of the Saudi money.”
Froch leans towards Wilder, predicting that he is likely to win. He recognizes Parker’s skills and recent improvements but seems to believe that Wilder’s power and style will prevail.
“I think Wilder does actually go on to that, I think Wilder does do the business against Joseph Parker. Joseph Parker’s always a capable fighter… but at this stage of his career, this is a money fight for him and a fight that he’s probably not going to be expected to win.”
Risks for Joshua in Facing Wallin
Froch acknowledges the risks Joshua faces in fighting Wallin. He sees this as a potentially tricky situation for Joshua, with Wallin being a capable and underestimated opponent.
“This could be a potential warmup fight for Anthony Joshua, but it’s a potential banana skin. Otto Wallin’s capable, he’s decent… if he loses against Wallin, he’s in no man’s land.”
Froch wraps up with thoughts on the heavyweight division’s trajectory, hinting at exciting developments, including a potential announcement involving Fury and Usyk.
“It’s exciting news really, something’s happening in the heavyweight division, it’s moving forward to potentially a big fight… you’ve also got Tyson Fury and Usyk, I think there’s going to be an announcement very soon.”
Full interview:
