Swedish heavyweight Otto Wallin believes that Antony Joshua was ‘hurt’ by Andy Ruiz Jr and has become a changed fighter as a result.
Wallin will face veteran Dominic Breazeale, 35, at the weekend, and the Swede has been researching his opponent’s fight with Joshua in preparation.
He noted the confidence that Joshua took into the ring in 2016. Wallin, speaking to Marc Gatford via BonusCodeBets.co.uk, said: “I’ve been watching Joshua’s fight with Breazeale lately.
“Joshua has a great style but I think sometimes maybe he does not trust himself enough. I hope that he can tune into how he looked against Breazeale, he looked more confident than he’s been lately.
“It looks to me like he’s been hurt a little bit mentally after that Ruiz loss. Something looked off with him that night, all the way through, from coming out of the dressing room and in the ring. I hope that he can trust himself and do what he’s good at.”
Wallin fought Tyson Fury in 2019, and he thinks the upcoming match between the pair will showcase the best talents in heavyweight boxing, though Fury is the favourite.
“I think Fury can outbox him because he is bigger, awkward and has great boxing skills,” he explained.
“The best way would be to box him coming forward and try to make Joshua go back but still use his height and reach. Joshua is always going to be dangerous because he’s a puncher.
"If he can get in on Fury and let off his good combinations that would be good, but I'm not sure because Fury’s a big guy, awkward, he can go southpaw, orthodox. I think Fury will eventually be too much but these are two best heavyweights in the world right now. I just feel like Fury is very confident, he's got a good head, and he trusts himself a lot.”
During their 2019 fight, Wallin opened up Fury with a huge cut but ultimately lost to the now-WBC champion. He believes giving Fury a fright may have led him to change his style, just as Joshua altered his.
“I think that one of the things our fight showed him [Fury] is that he can be aggressive like he was against me in the second half of the fight. I figure he’s probably done that in sparring and in the gym but maybe never in a fight like that,” Wallin said.
"I know that after the doctor had a look at the cut he came out really aggressive and probably felt like he had to knock me out before they stopped the fight. I felt that was probably more out of desperation but it worked for him. And I think then when he fought Wilder with his new trainer they tuned into that and picked up where we left off.
Breazeale and 30-year-old Wallin will fight this Saturday night.