Boxing is embracing the festive season with a special treat, a spectacular event featuring four of ESPN's top ten heavyweights in the two main fights on Saturday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (ESPN+ PPV, 11 a.m. ET).
The main event will highlight the prowess of the former three-belt unified champion Anthony Joshua, who is fighting for the third time in 2023. Joshua faces his amateur adversary Otto Wallin, a technically adept southpaw. Wallin's only defeat was to Tyson Fury, the undefeated, current WBC and lineal heavyweight champion in 2014. During their showdown, Wallin exceeded expectations, causing a cut above Fury's right eye and challenging his resilience. Wallin has been soundly irrelevant since that fight, and now he has the opportunity of a lifetime to avenge his two amateur losses to Joshua and to inch closer to title contention.
In the co-main event, former WBC heavyweight champion Deontay "The Bronze Bomber" Wilder will engage in a must-see battle against the resilient former WBO heavyweight champion Joseph Parker. Adding to the intrigue, Joshua and Wilder have agreed to face each other in a highly anticipated matchup in 2024 -- if both win on Saturday. But before we allow our imaginations to run wild, we must delve into the intricacies of these two competitive matchups.