Otto Wallin finishes his rooster skewers, rice, bread and broccoli, and is requested whether or not as an alternative he fancied fish and chips, that well-known English delicacy, having been within the UK for 48 hours.
“Perhaps on Sunday,” joked the Swedish heavyweight, who’s on the town to battle Derek Chisora on Saturday (February 8) on the Co-op Reside Area in Manchester.
The battle marks the 49th of Chisora’s profession and whereas the occasion is seen as a part of a victory lap of types for Chisora, as he goals for 50 professional fights for retirement, the competition represents the chance for Wallin to ease himself again into rivalry.
Having boxed Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua, in Las Vegas and Saudi Arabia respectively, Wallin is not any stranger to the large event, and he expects victory over Chisora to take him again to it.
He has ready effectively and he has had time.
“We acquired loads of good sparring. We had loads of time [to prepare] for this battle so I believe I heard about it and we acquired the supply like 10 or 11 weeks out, in order that’s much more than I had after I fought Fury and Joshua,” mentioned the 27-2 (15 KOs) Wallin. “In order that’s good. I really feel like we had an excellent period of time to prepare for the battle. After which I believe the battle is essential within the context of my profession. It is a actually vital battle and if I win this one, I can go on to battle larger guys in larger fights. And if I lose, it’s going to be actually onerous. I believe it’s a very vital battle.”
Wallin is just not with out title worth. In 2019, he pushed a bloodied Tyson Fury onerous, though got here out passively in opposition to an assertive Joshua and paid the worth extra not too long ago.
It represents aggressive matchmaking for Chisora in what’s billed as his ultimate battle within the UK.
The 34-year-old Wallin, who trains out of New York, is just not listening to the noise, nevertheless. He’s used to combating on the highway. His greatest win got here in Turkey, when he beat Murat Gassiev in Antalya in September of 2023, three months earlier than Joshua defeated him, and his final contest was in Atlantic Metropolis, the place he stopped Onoriode Ehwarieme in a spherical final July.
Being on enemy territory is nothing new.
“I haven’t thought a lot about that or about him [Chisora winding down his career] or being away from house,” Wallin added. “I’m used to that. I imply, I haven’t had many fights in Sweden anyway so I’m at all times actually in folks’s hometowns. However I believe that relating to the stress, I put together actually onerous and simply attempt to take satisfaction in my work. And I do know after I step into the ring that I’ve performed every thing I can to win. So then it’s simply to go on the market and do your very best and hopefully it goes effectively.”
Chisora emerged from the trenches with Joe Joyce final 12 months with a win, however Wallin says that whereas he’s ready to battle, and battle onerous, that isn’t the place he plans on entertaining the enigmatic Londoner.
“That’s his model, actually, to be in wars and be in actually powerful fights,” Wallin continued. “And I’m positive that he’s going to return out aggressively and attempt to get to me and attempt to make it an actual dogfight. In order that’s most likely extra to his benefit. I’m prepared for it, however I’ve acquired to attempt to use what I’m good at and use my peak and attain and make it in order that it’s a battle that fits my model higher.”Is he going to be the person that makes Chisora look each considered one of his 41 years?
“We’ll see, we’ll see,” mentioned Wallin. “I’m ready for a very powerful battle. I do know Chisora is at all times aggressive, like we mentioned, at all times in wars. So I’ve acquired to be good.”
Wallin thinks he must open up and use his energy to discourage Chisora, but in addition believes success will come from boxing easily.“I believe it’s a mixture. I imply you’ll be able to at all times field however you’ve acquired to get some respect too. I’ve acquired to let some pictures go and sit down on them to realize his respect and to indicate him that he can’t simply stroll in on me.”
There’s clearly a cautious respect for Chisora, however on the similar time, Wallin is aware of Fury and Joshua are superior fighters. However the Joyce win was important. Some contend it made Chisora a high 10 heavyweight once more.
“I believe Chisora is an skilled man. He’s a veteran. I take him very significantly,” mentioned the Swede.
“He’s not the very best I’ve fought however he’s among the many greatest for positive. I imply he’s not so good as Joshua and Fury however in my profession he’s proper beneath.”
The 2 boxers have met face-to-face, too, when the battle was first introduced, and Wallin is aware of this week that Chisora will attempt to play thoughts video games, as he typically does.
“Yeah, he’s an attention-grabbing man,” Wallin conceded. “I believe that he’s an excellent talker. He tries to get in your head, so [I’ll] attempt to not pay an excessive amount of consideration to him.”
And whereas Wallin is just not eating out on fish and chips pre-fight, he is aware of that Chisora likes to share a 5 Guys together with his opponents after they’ve performed battle.
“I see that, yeah,” added Wallin. “I have never thought a lot about it however I’ve simply acquired to win the battle. That’s crucial factor.”
