Joshua & Wilder weigh in after Dubois-Miller scuffle

Heavyweights Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder took to the scales ahead of their respective fights this weekend.

With a view to potentially boxing next year, both Joshua and Wilder fight in separate bouts on the same bill on Saturday.

Britain’s Joshua will fight Otto Wallin, a former Tyson Fury opponent, while Wilder boxes Joseph Parker.

Wallin has goaded Joshua, twice before a unified champion, and the Briton, with new trainer Ben Davison in his corner for this bout, will be looking to make a statement against the Swede.

In fine condition as ever Joshua weighed 251lbs while Wallin was 238.6lbs.

Joshua subjected the confident Wallin to a solemn staredown.

The former champion is adamant that he is eager to get to grips with Wallin.

“I need to get this win,” he said. “Let’s go out there and handle business.”

He refused to be distracted by the background talks about fighting Wilder.

“I’m a serious fighter,” Joshua said. “Let me focus on what I’ve got to focus on. Without Saturday night there is no future.”

Wallin hopes to spring an upset.

“I’m just happy it’s finally here,” he said. “I’m a smart fighter, I’m a southpaw. I’ve trained for this moment for a very, very long time.

“I just know tomorrow there’s going to be a new king and he’s from Sweden.”

Former WBC champion Wilder, who strangely weighed in with his hands wrapped, was 213lbs.

The American does tend to weigh light for a heavyweight but remains a brutally powerful puncher nevertheless.

“He’s never felt the power I bring and possess,” Wilder warned. “I’m just calm and collected. I’ve been here many times before.

“I’m not going to disappoint you. I come to bring the pain, I come to bring the excitement.”

Parker, previously the WBO belt holder himself, weighed 245.3lbs. “We’re here, we’re ready and I can’t wait. I’m going to be aggressive,” the New Zealander promised.

British heavyweight Daniel Dubois comes back from a battling loss to unified champion Oleksandr Usyk against Jarrell Miller.

Miller scaled a substantial 333lbs, getting on for almost 100lbs heavier than Dubois, who weighed 239lbs.

The two had to be pulled apart when tempers got out of hand as they faced off.

“I’m ready to fight, I’ll see him in the ring, I’m ready for him,” an animated Dubois declared afterwards.

Brooklyn’s Miller has failed two drug tests ahead of a potential bout with Anthony Joshua, as well as one before a scheduled contest with Jerry Forrest. But his promoter Dmitry Salita believes he can rehabilitate his reputation.

“Once you’re back licensed by respected commissions then you have to be able to compete and to fight the best,” Salita told Sky Sports. “He’s had many tests, probably the most tested fighter on this card.

“You’ve got to take in consideration that if you do the crime and you do the time, once you’re free, once you’re allowed to box again, you should be able to get opportunities for work, like in any field.

“If you’re not going to give those opportunities then suspend him forever or whatever it is.

“But Jarrell’s been out of the ring for a significant amount of time. He’s been licensed by the Nevada State Athletic Commission, the same commission that suspended him and this is an opportunity on Saturday December 23 to redeem himself.”

Salita in fact hopes Miller can still feature in bout with the division’s best, if he can overcome Dubois.

“This is Jarrell’s opportunity to get back to the top of the sport,” the promoter said. “With an impressive win, which I believe is what Jarrell is going to do, he’s going to put himself in a position to be right there for Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury, Usyk, Deontay Wilder, all those guys.

“Although they seem to have fights lined up, as we know in boxing things happen and sometimes [fights] happen and sometimes they don’t happen.”

Salita continued: “He was signed to fight Anthony Joshua and we know what happened.

“That beef, that genuine dislike is still alive. Every time they see each other there’s words said, there’s some kind of scuffle, some kind of aggressive interaction. I believe that that fight at some point should happen.

“I do believe that Jarrell versus Anthony Joshua may be one of the biggest fights in the sport, if both of them remain undefeated from now and keep on looking impressive.”

Day of Reckoning featuring Anthony Joshua vs Otto Wallin and Deontay Wilder vs Joshua Parker is live on Saturday December 23. Sky customers can purchase on TNT Sports Box Office at www.sky.com/boxoffice/tnt-sports/day-of-reckoning

Source : Sky Sports