Day of Reckoning full results: Anthony Joshua makes Otto Wallin quit on stool; Wilder upset by Parker
Wilder #Wilder
Deontay Wilder and Joseph Parker exchange punches during their heavyweight fight Saturday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Richard Pelham/Getty Images)
“The Day of Reckoning,” as Saturday’s card at the Kingdom Arena in Saudi Arabia was officially dubbed, featured several high-profile fighters facing off against each other in the ring. Reckoning came, but only for Deontay Wilder in his return to the ring after a 14-month layoff.
Wilder. the former WBC heavyweight champion, lost a wide unanimous decision to Joseph Parker in the co-main event after entering the ring as a -600 favorite. But Parker came in with a quality game plan, walked Wilder down for most of the fight and was bringing the fight to him. Wilder was mostly content to sit back and wait for the big shot. Unfortunately, the big shot never came and Parker’s relentless pace won him the fight via unanimous decision.
In the main event, Anthony Joshua looked like the Anthony Joshua of old as he easily picked apart Otto Wallin until Wallin’s corner had seen enough after the fifth round and threw in the towel. The victory is Joshua’s third of 2023 and he heads into 2024 with a likely title shot in the near future after the heavyweight title unification fight between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury on Feb. 17.
Here’s how the main card unfolded:
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AJ looked fantastic, and I’m eating the words I said on this weeks podcast that he should have been the co-main event. Salute AJ
— ShowtimeShawn Porter (@ShowtimeShawnP) December 23, 2023
Anthony Joshua held up his end of the bargain and made Otto Wallin quit on the stool at the end of the fifth round. Who does he fight next though with Wilder losing?
— Andreas Hale (@AndreasHale) December 23, 2023
And the fight is over! Wallin’s corner throws in the towel
AJ rocks Wallin with a huge right hand! Wallin was hurt, but he somehow shakes it off and survives Joshua’s onslaught in Round 5.
Slow to start as expected. Both guys boxing accordingly. And I like the convicting lead right hands coming from AJ. Haven’t seen that in some time!!
— ShowtimeShawn Porter (@ShowtimeShawnP) December 23, 2023
Sound is back on for the fourth round. Joshua staying busy. Wallin won’t back down. Fun scrap so far.
AJ looked sharp in a mostly quiet first round. (Sound is still out for the broadcast, but it was working for the commercials.)
“APOLOGIES FOR AUDIO ISSUES” appears in the top left corner of the screen while AJ and Wallin battle in the first round.
ESPN’s feed of the DAZN broadcast has lost the audio.
Main event is about to begin. Will Anthony Joshua make a case for another title shot or will Otto Wallin upset the former champion? We’re about to find out!
Anthony Joshua has to save the sanctity of the heavyweights.
Fury looked terrible against Ngannou.
Wilder looked terrible against Parker.
Can AJ save this from being an AWFUL year for heavyweight boxing?
— Andreas Hale (@AndreasHale) December 23, 2023
Sounds like Wilder might be done with boxing, good for him.
Incredible career, all things considered.
— Roberto José Andrade Franco (@R_AndradeFranco) December 23, 2023
Michael Buffer reads the scorecards: 118-111, 118-110 and 120-108 all for Joseph Parker. Wilder loses for the third time in his last four fights after starting his career 42-0-1.
Heavyweight: Anthony Joshua def. Otto Wallin by TKO in Round 5Heavyweight: Joseph Parker def. Deontay Wilder by unanimous decision (120-107, 120-107, 120-107)Light heavyweight: Dmitry Bivol def. Lyndon Arthur by unanimous decision (120-107, 120-107, 120-107)Heavyweight: Daniel Dubois def. Jarrell Miller by TKO in Round 10Heavyweight: Agit Kabayel def. Arslanbek Makhmudov by TKO in Round 4Cruiserweight: Jai Opetaia def. Ellis Zorro by KO in Round 1Heavyweight: Filip Hrgovic def. Mark De Mori by TKO in Round 1Heavyweight: Frank Sanchez def. Junior Fa by TKO in Round 7