Anthony Joshua opts for low-key workout ahead of Otto Wallin fight

Anthony Joshua kept his cards close to his chest with another low-key open workout ahead of Saturday’s fight with Otto Wallin in Riyadh.

Former two-time world heavyweight champion Joshua will step into the ring for 30th time this weekend, but the talk ahead of this latest bout in Saudi Arabia has swirled around a proposed clash with Deontay Wilder in 2024.

Wilder will face Joseph Parker on the same bill as Joshua on Saturday night and both men adopted different approaches for their open workouts on Wednesday, with the British boxer doing barely a minute of shadow boxing before he invited local youngsters into the ring.

A lion in the circus pic.twitter.com/md3efSRTkS

— Anthony Joshua (@anthonyjoshua) December 20, 2023

Instead of Joshua being put through his paces, it was the aspiring fighters who worked up a sweat before the 34-year-old reiterated his focus is all about claiming the 27th victory of his career on Saturday.

“I do want to hurt him, that’s fact,” Joshua (26-3, 23KOs) told TNT Sports.

“This (workout) ain’t fun for me, this is just work. What will be fun is Saturday night getting my hand raised.

“All of this is really nice, but this ain’t for me. This is for the entertainment, for the viewers, for the people who have come to Saudi to watch a night of boxing. My entertainment is in the ring on Saturday night and I’m not there yet so I’ve got to stay focused.

“I’m here with you guys out of contractual obligations so I will fulfil my obligations but ultimately my true, true obligation is to fight on Saturday night.

“I need to win, I have to win and yeah, if it is destined and meant to be, it’s meant to be.”

Before Joshua stepped in the ring for his non-workout, which has been a feature of other fight weeks, his