'No comment,' wrote New York-based Swedish heavyweight Otto Wallin (26-1-0-1) in an email to this reporter about the rumored fight against former two-time world champion Anthony Joshua (26-3), which is targeted for December 23 as part of a huge event in Saudi Arabia.
However, Wallin has been in full training for a few weeks now and stated in previous mails that he can be ready for a big fight on that date even if it is a bit short notice.
Wallin and Joshua fought in the amateurs with AJ winning and have sparred many rounds back in 2016 when the British star was training for his first world title fight against Charles Martin.
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Boxing returns to Malta on December 2 with an event at the Hotel Intercontinental in St Julians. Lightweight Haithem Laamouz (19-1) headlines and fights Brit Keanen Wainwright (10-2) in a scheduled ten-rounder.
In other action middleweights Christian Schembri (23-9-1) and Elton Azzopardi (0-1-2) clash for the vacant national title.
Swedish super middleweight champ Niclas Elfstedt, who resides in Malta, is featured on the undercard.
The show is streamed by Fightzone.
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Cruiserweights Kabiru Towolawi (20-6) from Nigeria defends the WBU title against German Pascal Wolters (10-1) on December 16 in Huckelhoven-Ratheim (Germany).
It's a rematch and Towolowau knocked out Wolters in April in what at least on paper was a big upset.
In the chief support Moritz Huetten (9-0) is in against GBA-licensed Finn Teemu Tuominen (11-7).
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Former EBU super lightweight champ and two-time world title challenger Anthony Yigit (27-4-1) hints on social media that 2024 will be his last in professional boxing.
At a private event on January 12 in Stockholm, Sweden, Yigit is back in action with a six-rounder against Norwegian Jamshid Nazari (10-1).
Also on the bill are light heavies Oscar Ahlin (24-2) and Costas Nanga (10-0). Ahlin meets Frenchman Jonathan Cotteret (9-7-1) while Nanga square off against Mickey Ellison (14-6) from the UK. Both fights are scheduled for eight.
The three fights are approved by the Swedish commission but needs special permission from the Martial Arts Delegation as they exceed 12 minutes.