Joshua and Wilder have agreed to fight separate opponents on the same night, December 23, 2023, in order to set up a potential showdown next year. Joshua will face Otto Wallin, a Swedish boxer who gave Tyson Fury a tough challenge in 2019.
Wilder will take on Joseph Parker, a former WBO champion from New Zealand who lost to Joshua in 2018. Both fights will be held at the King Fahd International Stadium in Riyadh, the same venue where Fury defeated Francis Ngannou last month.
The event was originally planned to feature Fury and Oleksandr Usyk in a unification bout, but that fight was postponed due to Fury’s injuries and the Covid-19 pandemic. Saudi officials decided to replace it with another blockbuster night of boxing, involving two of the biggest names in the heavyweight division.
The deal was brokered by Turki Alalshikh, the head of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, who also arranged the Fury-Ngannou fight.
Joshua and Wilder have been linked for years, but their fight has never materialized due to various reasons, such as contractual disputes, failed negotiations, and mandatory challengers.
Both fighters have also suffered setbacks in their careers, losing their titles to Usyk and Fury respectivel.
However, they have not given up on their dream of facing each other and becoming the undisputed champion of the world. By fighting on the same card in Saudi Arabia, they hope to build up the hype and anticipation for their eventual clash, which could happen in 2024.
