'Joshua is mentally hurt since Ruiz. Fury would outbox him': Former foe Wallin on potential heavyweight unification

Swedish heavyweight Otto Wallin believes IBF, WBA, and WBO world heavyweight champ Anthony Joshua is "mentally hurt" since his KO loss to Andy Ruiz, which may play into rival Tyson Fury's hands should the two meet.

Wallin famously inflicted an horrific cut on world number one rated heavyweight Tyson Fury that required 47 stitches when they fought in 2019 in what was a tune-up fight before Fury’s stunning rematch win over Deontay Wilder for the WBC title.

The Swede fights former Joshua foe Dominic Breazeale this Saturday, and has been studying the Brit's performance against his future opponent, a confident and devastating seventh-round TKO win in 2016.

Reuters / Andrew Couldridge

Wallin, 21-1 with 14 knockouts, insists Joshua was assured in that performance, and looks mentally hurt since his shocking upset loss to Andy Ruiz in June 2019 comparing his more composed showing against Breazeale with a lack of "trust" in himself in his recent win over Kubrat Pulev.

“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," Wallin said.

“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. He’s got a beautiful style, he’s just got to do what he’s good at. I watched his fight against Pulev and it looks like he’s trying to explore some different sides of himself."

Joshua and Fury, the two men who hold all four heavyweight championship belts, look set to finally meet up this summer for all four belts, in either June or July and bring to an end one of the most protracted and elusive potential fights in British boxing.

Wallin, who went a full twelve rounds with Fury in Las Vegas, believes Joshua needs to be prepared to "take some shots to give some" should it happen to get past Fury's natural boxing ability.

“He’s got a good trainer with McCraken and I know he’s probably brought in some other people also now but the training he has been doing with McCracken has led him a long way," Wallin said.

"So I don’t think he needs to change much. He just needs to tune into who he is. And when he fights Fury he needs to be prepared to take some shots to give some.

“Also you have got to remember he has a lot of pressure, he’s a huge star. I don’t even know how he feels inside. He has a big following, people are depending on him, there’s a lot to consider there.”

Despite reckoning Joshua as a superstar, Wallin believes Joshua will need a lot more than just confidence to get the better of Fury, who he rates as a better boxer.

“I think Fury can outbox him because he is bigger, awkward and has great boxing skills. 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," he said.

 "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.”