Anthony Joshua 'bad sign' spotted with boxing star 'mentally fragile' ahead of Otto Wallin fight
Boxing news: Anthony Joshua is preparing for his fight with Otto Wallin
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Otto Wallin has claimed Anthony Joshua is 'mentally fragile' and past his best ahead of their blockbuster showdown on December 23.
The two men will step into the ring together on a star-studded card in Saudi Arabia.
Many are expecting Joshua to win, especially given all his years of experience.
But Wallin won't be easy, with the Swede famously taking Tyson Fury all the way back in 2019.
Boxing news: Otto Wallin has stuck the knife into Anthony Joshua ahead of their fight
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Fury even needed a staggering 47 stitches after that battle, despite narrowly coming out on top.
That defeat remains the only time Wallin has been beaten in the ring, something that makes him a formidable opponent for Joshua.
And now, speaking to the Daily Mail, Wallin has claimed Joshua is 'mentally fragile' and past his best.
He said: "I would say he is still one of the best heavyweights out there and he's made an amazing career for himself.
"There has been a decline and I think he has reached his peak already.
"I think he is mentally fragile, he's not sure of himself.
"He's changed trainer and I think things can be very tough for him.
"People are very critical of him, he's got a lot of pressure. So I think that weighs on him."
Joshua recently changed his trainer, with the 34-year-old choosing to work with Ben Davidson.
And Wallin thinks that is a 'bad sign' from the Briton as their fight creeps closer.
"I think it's a problem for him, for sure," he stated.
"I've had my trainer now for 10 years.
"We know each other really well. We trust each other in and out of the ring.
"He's been with me for all of my pro fights except two, so it's really been a good journey together and it's fantastic we get this chance now to prove to everyone what we've been working on.
"For Joshua, it's hard. When you keep changing trainer, it's usually a bad sign and I think it's a bad sign for him too."
Wallin also thinks his fight with Joshua couldn't come at a better time.
He feels the Watford-born boxer is a shadow of what he once was - which gives him an edge for their Saudi showdown.
"I think it's the perfect time to face AJ. He was a seek and destroy kind of guy, he was very aggressive," he said.
"When he first started, he had a short amateur career.
"He was knocking people out. Turned pro, knocking everybody out. Knocked [Wladimir] Klitschko out. And I think he felt invincible, pretty much.
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"And then he lost to Ruiz, he got stopped.
"He lost to Usyk twice. I think he knows now that he's vulnerable.
"He knows he can lose and he can get hurt and he doesn't like that.
"He doesn't like getting hit or getting hurt. He cares a lot about what people think of him and I think it's hard for him when people are being critical or there are boos in the crowd, I think that's really hard for him."