The clock is ticking for Anthony Joshua's third fight of 2023.
The two-time world heavyweight champion is set to main event the December 23 "Day of Reckoning" card in Saudi Arabia where he will face Swedish southpaw Otto Wallin.
Joshua has already got two wins under his belt this year against Jermaine Franklin and Robert Helenius, and now he is set for a step up in opponent in the form of Wallin who is a respected heavyweight contender.
With Wallin's awkward style and ability to trouble some of the heavyweight division's best fighters, Joshua will have to be 100% focused and former world heavyeweight champion Hasim Rahman has sent a warning to the British star ahead of the matchup.
"I don’t really understand why Joshua took that fight, that’s really not a fight that I think you can look good in," Rahman said in an interview with Pro Boxing Fans.
"That is one of them trap fights. I’m going to be watching that fight because Wallin is definitely a guy that can make you look bad. I think he [Joshua] will win, I just don’t think that it is set up for him to shine."
If Joshua can get the victory, it will continue what is currently a successful rebuild after back-to-back losses to Oleksandr Usyk along with potentially setting up a meeting with Deontay Wilder at some point in 2024.
You can watch the Day of Reckoning, featuring Anthony Joshua vs. Otto Wallin, Deontay Wilder vs. Joseph Parker and Daniel Dubois vs. Jarrell Miller, on DAZN PPV on Saturday, December 23. Click here for more details.