Tag Archives: otto

What’s Next For Otto Wallin?

Posted on 09/17/2019

By: Hans Themistode

The world has officially been introduced to Otto Wallin (20-1, 13 KOs). The Swedish born fighter gave Lineal Champion Tyson Fury (29-0-1, 20 KOs) hell for 12 rounds on September 14th, at the T-Mobile arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Wallin was an obscure name to say the least. With his performance he let the rest of the division know that he is a major player. At just the age of 28, there is reason to believe that Wallin has plenty of room to improve. Before he stepped into the ring at the T-Mobile arena, he hadn’t fought a full fight in over a year.


Photo Credit: Henry Deleon

Wallin didn’t just hold his own against Fury, he performed better than arguably anyone ever has against him. According to CompuBox, Wallin landed more punches on Fury than anyone he has ever stepped in the ring with. For a comparison, Wallin landed 127 shots, while much more notable names such as Wladimir Klitschko and Deontay Wilder landed just 123 punches Combined! In short, Wallin put on a great performance. Possibly the best against Fury.

Wallin will have promoters lined up at his doorstep looking to sign him. The three major players for his services would be PBC, Matchroom and of course Top Rank. All three have a large enough stable of Heavyweights to keep Wallin busy.

Who he signs with is anyones guess but we went ahead and gave a full breakdown of who his next opponent could be depending on he decides to sign with next.

If Wallin inks a Deal with PBC and Al Haymon

Adam Kownacki

The undefeated Adam Kownacki (20-0, 15 KOs) is coming off his own fight of the year candidate against Chris Arreola on August 3rd, at the Barclay Center, in Brooklyn, New York. Kownacki is earning quite the name for himself as a guy who loves to stand in the middle of the ring and trade big shots all night. We all just witnessed Wallin in a war against Fury, a match against Kownacki would bombs away from the opening bell.

Dominic Breazeale

It wasn’t a pretty site for Dominic Breazeale (20-2, 18 KOs) the last time he was seen in the ring. It took WBC champion Deontay Wilder just one round to get rid of him. If he wants to be viewed as a real contender in the Heavyweight division then he needs a good win in his next contest. As for Wallin, he could use the experience against a tough and rugged competitor like Breazeale. It would be a big fight them both.

Charles Martin

Did you know that at one point Charles Martin (27-2-1, 24 KOs) was a Heavyweight champion? His reign didn’t last long but he will forever be labeled as a former champion. A win over someone with that sort of status is exactly what Wallin needs in order to continue his upward trajectory.

His Options with Bob Arum and ESPN

Kubrat Pulev

Since losing his lone shot at a title against Wladimir Klitschko back in 2014, Kubrat Pulev (27-1, 14 KOs) has won seven fights in a row. He has managed to work his way to a mandatory position with the IBF but we all know that it’ll be a while before he gets a shot at a world title. What Pulev needs is a statement. In steps, Otto Wallin. After just taking arguably the best Heavyweight in the division through hell and back Wallin is a big fight for just about anyone now. A win against Pulev who has only lost to one of the best Heavyweight champions of all-time would boost his stock tremendously.

Bryant Jennings

We all know that Bryant Jennings (24-4, 14 KOs) is not a true contender in the Heavyweight division but he is still a respectable name. Outside of Fury, Wallin really doesn’t have a notable name on his record. It’s time to start building his experience with better opponents. Jennings would provide Wallin with a stiff test, one that he should pass but the experience would benefit him in the long run.

Tyson Fury Rematch

Tyson Fury is hardly ever in an exciting fight. That’s because he can easily outbox his opponents and turn it into a boring contest. In his fight against Wallin, he was forced to actually fight. You can make the argument that it was the toughest fight of his career. We all understand that he is scheduled to take on Deontay Wilder in a rematch early next year but if that contest falls apart for some reason, then let’s see these two do it again.

If Wallin Signs With Eddie Hearn and Matchroom

Dillian Whyte

Dillian Whyte (26-1, 18 KOs) has a few issues that he is dealing with right now, after testing positive for a banned substance. If he can get past those problems then a matchup between Wallin and Whyte makes a lot of sense for both of them. Whyte has been calling for his crack at a world title and has defeated everyone that he has needed to in order to make it happen. Wallin might not have the pedigree that Whyte possesses but he showed that he is one helluva fighter. The winner of this contest could vault to the front of the line as the next to contend for a title.

Dave Allen

It looked like Heavyweight contender Dave Allen (17-5-2, 14 KOs) was on his way to a career rival. After losing the biggest fights of his career to Dillian Whyte and Luis Ortiz, the prevailing thought was that he couldn’t get it done against good competition. That thought was reinforced when he lost a close decision to non contender Lenroy Thomas. Things finally started to turn around for Allen as he won the biggest fight of his career against Lucas Browne. He couldn’t continue his good roll as he was knocked out against David Price earlier this year. Currently he has nothing on his schedule for a return fight. After a career defining performance, Wallin most likely wants to enter the ring as soon as possible. If he decides to sign with Matchroom, this is a must see matchup.

Michal Hunter

Michael Hunter (18-1, 12 KOs) has quietly been building a name for himself. His only blemish on his record was a contest against Oleksandr Usyk at Cruiserweight. Since moving up in weight, he has gone 6-0 with 4 of those wins coming via stoppage. He most recently was seen in the ring on September 13th, easily winning against Sergey Kuzmin. Both Wallin and Hunter are big guys who love to bang. Let’s hope the fans get to see this fun matchup soon.

Regardless of where Otto Wallin chooses to sign, his options will be aplenty. With more experience and more activity he could challenge anyone. He may have been an unknown fighter before, but now, everyone knows the name, Otto Wallin.

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Tyson Fury Overcomes an Explosive Otto Wallin Upset Bid

Posted on 09/15/2019

By: Hans Themistode

What a fight!

Lineal Heavyweight champion Tyson Fury avoided a major upset tonight. The T-Mobile arena in Las Vegas, Nevada played host to Fury and formerly undefeated contender Otto Wallin. This was nothing more than a glorified sparring match. At least, that’s what it was supposed to be.


Photo Credit: BT Sport Twitter Account

Fury had been in the ring with some of the very best including long time unified champion Wladimir Klitschko and current WBC belt holder Deontay Wilder. Wallin had never stood across the ring from anyone in the top 20 of the division, let alone someone who many believe is the best that the division has to offer. A quick knockout against the obscure Wallin was expected. Unfortunately for Fury, this is the sport of boxing and usually nothing goes according to plan. Tonight, he quickly found out that his seemingly soft touch, was anything but.

Things started off a bit ragged. Fury, who had the advantages in terms of height and reach tried to stay on the outside but Wallin would hear none of it. He bullied his way on the inside and made it a real dog fight from the very beginning. Fury began to find his range in the second, buzzing Wallin several times and making him pay for his over aggression.

With things seemingly even on the scorecards, Wallin had himself a huge third round as he landed a left hand on the elusive Fury which opened up one of the worse cuts you’ll see in a boxing match. Blood was pouring everywhere as Fury found it hard to see due to the cut. To make matters worse for Fury, the Nevada state commission deemed that the cut was in fact due to a punch which meant that if the fight was stopped, he would lose and the contest would not have to go to the scorecards.

The usual calm and cool Fury was now losing his patience in the fourth round. Blood was flowing from his eye and he had several words for Wallin while the two were in the ring as it became a target for Wallin’s offensive attack. Soon after, another cut was opened up and Fury found himself in even worse trouble. He was boxing well but from the looks of the cuts it seemed as though he was in real danger of being defeated tonight.

The half way mark of the contest saw referee Tony Weeks place a brief hold on the bout as he forced the ring physician to take a look at the wounds of Fury. Luckily for him he was allowed to fight but Wallin continued to do well. Fury had a sense of urgency in his attacks now. The Lineal champ is known for his abilities to outbox his opponents but with his cuts threatening to put an end to this contest early he was forced to put the pedal to the metal. Wallin welcomed the more aggressive Fury with his own aggression and continued to get the better of him.

No one can ever question the heart of Fury as he turned up the heat in the second half of the fight. He landed big shot after big shot which forced Wallin back. It was also becoming apparent that Wallin was beginning to fatigue in there.

In the championship rounds was were Fury truly showed his grit. He hit Wallin with everything he had and had his man hurt on several occasions. With his opportunity slipping away, Wallin gave it one last hurrah in the final round. He landed several huge left hands in the round which made Fury paw at his injured left eye. Fury began to back up and seemed to be in trouble. Wallin, unfortunately didn’t have enough time to continue his attack as the bell rang.

The three judges watching the bout were called to give their verdict on how they saw this contest play out. It was a unanimous decision victory for Fury as the judges scored it 116-112, 117-111 and 118-110 all in favor of Tyson Fury.

The win may have taken away the undefeated record of Wallin but he has cemented himself as a true contender in the Heavyweight division. As for Fury, he now heads towards a 2020 clash with WBC champion Deontay Wilder.

“Deontay Wilder,” yelled Fury during his post fight interview. “I want you next bum.”

With Wilder already having to deal with his own challenge in Luis Ortiz on November 23rd, these two are on a collision course for the first quarter of 2020.

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Otto Wallin Fight Week Interview: “I Feel Very Well Prepared”

Posted on 09/12/2019

By: Sean Crose

“I had a tough training camp,” says Otto Wallin, “with a lot of quality sparring and many rounds in the bank. I feel very well prepared for Saturday.” By “tough,” of course, Wallin means successful. Camp shouldn’t be easy when one’s preparing to battle one of the most colorful and high profile boxers on the planet, Tyson Fury. “I feel great,” Wallin adds just days before his heavyweight battle with Fury at the T-Mobile arena in Las Vegas. “I’m very excited about this opportunity and I want to leave everything in the ring on Saturday.” This weekend represents the opportunity of a lifetime for the 20-0 native of Sweden. Should he defeat the 28-0-1 Fury, it would be a shocking upset, perhaps even more thunderous than Andy Ruiz’ stunning victory over Anthony Joshua last June at Madison Square Garden.

For Wallin isn’t a widely known commodity. Although the man has yet to lose a professional bout, many feel that he’s simply being sent into the ring to keep the flamboyant Fury busy until bigger fights come along. Fury himself has been busy talking about other fighters rather than the individual whose been focused for weeks on beating him. “I hope he’s focusing on other fighters and looking past me,” says Wallin, who doesn’t come across as one who gets easily rattled. “That would make it easier for me!”

One advantage Fury will have over Wallin is the fact that he’s been through the media circus before. He’s beaten Wladimir Klitschko…and battled Deontay Wilder to a draw. Those were two highly covered bouts, which means the Englishman knows what it’s like to be in the spotlight, while Wallin – up until now – had yet to be center stage. Wallin seems to be taking it well, though, rather than allowing the moment to swallow him whole. “It’s been good,” he says of the lead up. “I’ve got a good team around me that keeps me from not being overwhelmed with media requests but helps to balance it.” To Wallin, all the press and attention is simply part and parcel of engaging in a big fight. “Media work is of course part of the game and very important,” he adds reasonably. “I’m very happy with all the interest around the fight and everything that comes with it.”

The interest in Wallin himself will be intense should be pull off the upset. Everyone will want to know who the polite, undefeated giant slayer is. Not that the attention won’t be well earned. Upsets bring about their own rewards. As does defeating the man many argue is the lineal heavyweight champion of the world (the man who beat the man who beat the man). If he wins on Saturday, Wallin will find himself spoken of alongside the likes of Wilder, Ruiz, and Joshua. Not that that a win would surprise Wallin. As he said of Fury in our previous interview: “He has not much to win and everything to lose in this fight and that’s great for me. He probably feels a ton of pressure and knows that he needs to look good in this fight.”

In other words, it’s not just the challenger who has to feel the heat on this occasion.

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Is Otto Wallin An Easy Win For Tyson Fury?

Posted on 09/10/2019

By: Hans Themistode

Lineal champion Tyson Fury (28-0-1, 20 KOs) caught a lot of flak for his June 15th contest against Tom Schwarz. After coming off a highly disputed draw against WBC belt holder Deontay Wilder, Fury was expected to take on a stiff challenge.

Schwarz proved that he was not in the same league as Fury or any of the top Heavyweights. It was a one sided beating when they met up at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada. Fury landed every and anything he wanted which led to a second round knockout.

Now that the rematch between Wilder and Fury is officially taking place in the first quarter of 2020, the boxing world is thrilled. First things first however, they both must get thorough their respective matchups. Wilder has a November date with Luis Ortiz in what will be a rematch. It’s a dangerous fight for Wilder. One that he could very well lose.

Fury doesn’t seem to be taking the same level of risk that Wilder is. He’s set to take on Otto Wallin on September 14th at the T-Mobile arena in Las Vegas. Fury is very much expected to run through Wallin, much like he did against Schwarz. In fact, both Wallin and Schwarz share eerie similarities to one another.

Wallin is currently undefeated and in his mid twenties in terms of his age. So was Schwarz. They both aren’t known to the public but at least according to their records have similar punching power. They are also the exact same height, standing at six feet five and a half.

We all just witnessed what Fury can do to an unknown fighter with seemingly the same skill set. Taking a look at the resume of Wallin doesn’t exactly provide confidence as this will be a massive step up in class. It isn’t just the difference in skills but there is also a big difference in terms of activity. Wallin hasn’t truly fought in over a year.

His contest against Nick Kisner earlier this year ended in the second round thanks to a nasty head butt which put an end to that contest earlier than expected. Wallin was then supposed to jump in the ring against BJ Flores but that fight was scratched at the very last minute as well. The last time Wallin fought a full contest was on April 21st, 2018 when he defeated Adrian Granat.

This seems like a calculated move by Fury. Take on a fighter who on paper, looks to be a formidable challenger, but in reality they are inexperienced and a bit rusty. His future opponent Deontay Wilder is taking risk after risk while Fury seems to be playing it safe, but is he really? Wallin is an unknown to the public and nothing about his skill set would present a belief to anyone that he can win this fight.

It looks as though Wallin is just being used as a soft touch. Remember, this is the sport go boxing so anything can happen but it sure doesn’t seem like Wallin has a shot during this contest.

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Otto Wallin Looks To Shock Tyson Fury – And The Fight World

Posted on 08/15/2019

By: Sean Crose

“Fury is not your normal type of fighter or heavyweight,” says undefeated 20-0 heavyweight Otto Wallin. “He’s a big guy and knows how to use that to his advantage and he does it well.” Wallin is referring to the 28-0-1 Tyson Fury, who is considered to the be lineal heavyweight champion of the world, and who will be fighting Wallin on September 14th at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. It’s the chance of a lifetime for Wallin, a 28 year old native of Sundsvall, Sweden, one the fighter clearly intends to make the most of.

“My training base is in New York,” he says, “where I live and we’ll be doing the training over here until one week before the fight.” Some fighters like to travel in order to train for major matches. The 6’5 plus Wallin is happy where he is. “We’ve got a nice private gym,” he says, “and we have all we need.” This will be Wallin’s second fight in the United States. His first was an ill-fated match against Nick Kisner last April in Atlantic City, a bout that was declared a no contest due to an accidental head butt. Wallin will be preparing for more than just potential head butts in the leadup to Fury, however.

For Fury is a unique case. Not only is he extremely large and slick, the Englishman is also a master of head games. Watch Fury’s interactions with then longtime heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko back in 2015 before he bested the Ukrainian legend in a huge upset. Fury’s interactions with Klitschko were in a master class of bullying and mind games. It’s a tactic Wallin feels well prepared for. “He’s probably looking to get inside of my head like he usually does,” says Wallin, “I’ll just laugh it off and be myself at all times. I’ve got a good team around me that will keep me on the right track.”

Should he win the lineal title off Fury, Wallin will be seen as the first heavyweight champion from Sweden since Ingemar Johansson, who won the crown from Floyd Patterson in the late 1950s. I asked Wallin (we conducted the interview via email) if he felt any pressure being a Swedish fighter with an opportunity to do what what the famous Johansson did. “I don’t feel any pressure at all,” he replied. “What Ingemar Johansson did is just a huge inspiration and he already showed that it’s possible and that it can be done!”

Coming hot on the heels of Andy Ruiz’ stunning victory over Anthony Joshua last June, Wallin will face Fury with the whiff of upsets in the air. There is also a suspicion that Fury is already overlooking Wallin while planning to have a rematch of his terrific bout last December against Deontay Wilder. Wallin, however, isn’t one too make too much of such conjecture. “I have no idea what’s in Fury’s head,” he says, “but surely he has not much to win and everything to lose in this fight and that’s great for me. He probably feels a ton of pressure and knows that he needs to look good in this fight.”

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Otto Wallin Weighs In On His Showdown With BJ Flores

Posted on 07/09/2019

By: Hans Themistode

In years past, the Heavyweight division revolved around one name, Klitschko. Whether is was Wladimir or his brother Vitale, the Klitschko’s dominated Heavyweight boxing. That era is now behind us. There are numerous fighters in the division who have something to prove.

New Heavyweight contender Otto Wallin has been viewed as one of the up and coming big guys. Standing six feet five inches and sporting an undefeated record of 20 wins with no defeats and 13 big wins coming via knockout, you can see why he is thought of so highly.

This Friday night on July 12th, Wallin will be taking on the biggest test of his career when he takes on BJ Flores (34-4-1, 21 KOs). The aforementioned Flores was last seen in the ring in August of 2018, when he went up against the undefeated Trevor Bryan. Flores was subsequently knocked out in the fourth round of that contest. Wallin is determined to make his own statement come Friday night.

“The main thing is to get the win, but I want to break him down and stop him,” said Wallin. “This fight is on Showtime so I want to show that I deserve to keep fighting on this network.”

For Wallin, he is hoping that his fight against Flores last a bit longer than his previous contest against Nick Kisner. That bout was ruled a no contest after a clash of heads in the opening round led to cut and vision problems for Kisner. Before that contest, Walling struggled with activity as he was roughly out for a year prior to that contest. His stretches of inactivity have not been through fault of his own. Concerns of ring rust have not entered the mind of Wallin, but he is hoping to become much more active this year.

“I’ve been inactive in the past because my contract with my promotor had expired. I had other bouts like fighting for the European title but it kept getting pushed back. When it was time to fight my trainer got attacked in New York and broke his jaw, so we had to cancel the fight. Thankfully all of that is behind us now and I just want to be active this year. As far as ring rust goes, in my last contest I would have liked to have gotten a few more rounds in of course but I’m not concerned about ring rust. I still got the experience from walking down that isle and getting in that ring. I just want to look at it in a positive light.”

His opponent BJ Flores, will have a major edge in terms of experience and level of opposition. Those factors don’t intimidate Wallin in the slightest. Instead, he is looking forward to the test so that he can prove that he what it takes to compete with anyone.

“He’s the most experienced fighter I’ve ever fought. He’s had several championship fights so he is definitely the best fighter that I’ve ever faced also but this is what I need. If I can put on a great performance then that will show that I belong with some of the best guys in the division.”

Wallin isn’t held in the same regard as fighters such as Adam Kownacki, Jarrell Miller and Dillian Whyte. However, with a win this Friday night that could all change. With the Heavyweight division having so much parity, Wallin is thrilled to be apart of this era of Heavyweight boxing. He is also patiently waiting on his own big fight to prove his worth.

“I think the division is great,” recalled Wallin. “It’s really booming right now, there are a lot of big fights to be made. I just need to keep working and keep improving so that when my time comes I’ll be ready for these guys.”

Wallin’s first step in his quest for Heavyweight glory starts this Friday night at the Emerald Queen Casino in Tacoma, Washington. If he can make a statement, it won’t be long until he gets those big fights he is craving.

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Otto Wallin: “Sweden Needs A Boxing Superstar That Stands Out”

Posted on 04/12/2019

By: Sean Crose

Twenty wins. Zero losses. Thirteen wins by knockout. Otto Wallin has been quickly climbing the heavyweight ranks since turning pro in 2013. Having already established himself in his native Europe, the native of Sundsvall, Sweden is now in America, and ready to make his US debut against the 21-4-1 Nick Kisner this Saturday night at the famed Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The 10 round bout, which is on the undercard of the much anticipated Claressa Shields-Christina Hammer middleweight unification showdown, will be aired live on Showtime. It’s a coming out party, of sorts, one which the nearly 6’6, 28 year old heavyweight intends to make the most of.

Just how good is Wallin? His trainer, former two division champion Joey Gamache is on the record claiming Walin harkens back to greats like Pernell Whitaker and Willie Pep, two of the smoothest fighters to ever lace up a pair of gloves. Wallin and Gamache may come across like an odd couple, but the two men met in Denmark back in 2013, and have been a successful team ever since. “Training with Joey is great,” Wallin says. “We’ve been together for about six years now and we’re a great match.”

To Wallin, Gamache, who once held the WBA super featherweight title, as well as the WBA lightweight title, is more than a run of the mill trainer. “He’s become more than a trainer for me,” Walin adds, “and he’s making great decisions for me.” Wallin credits Gamache with helping him get an opportunity to make his mark in the US. “I’ve been in New York for three years with Joey,” Wallin says. “I’m used to the training. To be fighting on such a big card, there’s a lot more press than I’m used to. There’s been a lot of interviews and press conferences and I can feel that this is a big event.”

The US market is indeed enormous, but Wallin has big goals. Sweden hasn’t had a heavyweight king since Ingemar Johansson dethroned Floyd Patterson back in the late 1950s. Wallin wouldn’t mind bringing the heavyweight crown back home. “Sweden needs a boxing superstar that stands out,” he states, “and I want to be that person. I see good fighters in the heavyweight division. The top three fighters are really good. I want to take care of Saturday night, fight a couple more times this year and then next year I will be ready for a step-up in competition.”

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Otto Wallin vs Adrian Granat Preview

Posted on 04/16/2018

By: Ste Rowen

This coming Saturday, in the Stone City, two Swedish heavyweight rivals are set to collide. At Sundsvall’s Gaerdehov Ice Hockey Arena, unbeaten southpaw, Otto Wallin, 19-0 (13KOs) takes on Adrian ‘The Pike’ Granat, 15-1 (14KOs) for the vacant EBU European ‘Union’ heavyweight strap.

A relative late comer to the sport, Wallin only took up boxing at aged 16, 11 years later he finds himself as his country’s number one rated heavyweight, and lucky for him, he has a legitimate domestic rival that, if victorious this weekend, could fan the flames for a world title shot.

‘It’s a big shot.’ Wallin told ‘Laugh At First Site’, ‘I just wanna beat this guy ‘cos I wanna show who’s the best heavyweight in Sweden. The title is nice but I just wanna win the fight and beat this guy.’

‘He’s always been talking about me, saying I’m an easy fight but lately he’s been a little bit more on the other side saying it’s gonna be a tough fight. He’s realising that he’s in for a treat.’

‘We were around each other as amateurs but we never fought. To be honest I didn’t like him back then either. Just something about him that I couldn’t really handle, so it’ll be nice to get in the ring.’

Currently training out of New York, last time fans saw the unbeaten Swede was in Riga, on the Briedis vs Usyk undercard when Wallin overwhelmed 6-4 Bosnian, Srdan Govedarica. It was a stay busy fight that helped to build up the appetite for this all-Swedish clash, as Otto took till just the 3rd round of the scheduled 8, to stop the rank outsider. Before then, the Sundsvall native had been steadily building on his record with victories such as his dominant 2016 10-round decision win over the well-travelled, Raphael Zumbano Love and a 3rd round knockout of another Brazilian, in the form of Irineu Beato Costa Junior, whose previous opponents include the likes of Dillian Whyte, Christian Hammer and, up until recently the WBO world champion, Joseph Parker.
But it’s Saturday’s bout that will be the benchmark that decides whether Wallin has a future at the top level of the heavyweight scene.

The road to this weekend’s Swedish showdown hasn’t been quite so smooth for Granat.

Much like his upcoming opponent, ‘The Pike’ had been accumulating victories over reputable, but limited foes, including early knockout wins over Michael Sprott, Danny Williams and Evgeny Orlov, but just over 12 months ago, Adrian suffered a massive set back after suffering a 1st round KO to Alexander Dimitrenko.

On the front foot early, Granat had his hands low when the Russian fired a right hook that sent the Swede to the canvas for the first time in his pro career. ‘The Pike’ looked pretty vacant as he rose, and subsequently took 16 unanswered punches before hitting the canvas for a 2nd time, and this time for good.

It’s arguably why he’s had to look towards a domestic bout, rather than forward against the likes of Agit Kabayal and Dillian Whyte, which he might’ve done if he’d scored a victory over Dimitrenko.

The Malmo native returned to winning ways in December with a 4th round stoppage over 9-5 Georgian, Irakli Gvenetadze. Granat has also recently linked up with American trainer, Jonathan Banks and he’s already feeling the improvements,

‘To train with Jonathan Banks at the Kronk Gym and to meet all those guys there was a pretty cool experience. I first met Jonathan in Hamburg when I was sparring with Dillian Whyte. After that he invited me to come and spar Klitschko. We got on pretty well so when I was looking for a new coach, I gave him a call and he was interested.’

‘I’m not going to tell you exactly what we’ve been working on but I will say the past 10 weeks training with Jonathan could not have gone any better.’

‘I’m focusing on myself, not on Otto… It’s hard to say what happens when we come face-to-face but all I know is, I feel really good and I’ll be ready for whatever he brings.’

Saturday’s fight certainly won’t push the winner to the front of an already heavily crowded queue for the world title accolades, but it should certainly setup some pretty tasty contender matchups in the near future.

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