Anthony Joshua Dominates Otto Wallin by TKO as Fans Call for Francis Ngannou Fight

Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder may not be stepping into the ring after all.

While Joshua defeated Otto Wallin via fifth-round knockout in a dominant showing on Saturday night, which was part of the Day of Reckoning: Fight Night in Saudi Arabia, Deontay Wilder fell to Joseph Parker via unanimous decision.

Winning results for both fighters were supposed to set the stage for a two-fight showdown next year.

That was easier said than done, as Wallin entered the fight with a 26-1 record and 14 knockouts. His only previous defeat came against the great Tyson Fury in 2019, and he handled himself quite well in a matchup that went the distance and saw Fury deal with some setbacks before prevailing.

Wallin defeated Helaman Olguin and Murat Gassiev earlier this year and had the opportunity to make a statement against Joshua.

Instead, the two-time former unified heavyweight champion added another victory to a year that saw him defeat Jermaine Franklin Jr. and Robert Helenius. He hasn't lost since back-to-back defeats to Oleksandr Usyk in 2021 and 2022 and took care of business Saturday.

Boxing insider Dan Rafael reported Wednesday that Wilder and Joshua agreed to "all terms" for a two-fight deal that was "contingent" on them winning their "Day of Reckoning" fights. The first matchup between the two was expected to be on March 9 in Saudi Arabia, with the rematch slated to happen later in 2024.

While the idea of Joshua and Wilder facing off may now be an afterthought, fans have quickly moved on and are calling for a bout between Joshua and Francis Ngannou:

While Saturday's results were certainly a disappointment for boxing fans hoping to see Joshua and Wilder step in the ring, it's hard to deny that a fight between Joshua and Ngannou would be far more intriguing.