PEDIGREE: Wallin can boast of boxing at a high level as an amateur
OTTO WALLIN wants to make a point. He is not Tom Schwarz. The affable Swede insists that if Tyson Fury is bringing him in as a straightforward tune-up for an inevitable rematch with Deontay Wilder, the Briton is making a mistake. The two will box on September 14 bout at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas and Wallin points out, “He needs to look good in this fight and beat me decisively and probably knock me out too. That’s how he feels and a lot of people look at it like that. He’s got everything to lose and nothing to gain and I have everything to gain and nothing to lose. So I’m very happy with that. I can go in without any pressure and he has to put on a great performance.
“All the other stuff, I don’t pay too much attention to that. I don’t read comments on articles. They’re going to find out that I belong at this level.” After Fury’s controversial draw with WBC champion Deontay Wilder last December, Tyson easily stopped Schwarz inside two rounds in June. Schwarz had achieved little as a professional and was proven to be well out of his depth. At first glance Wallin’s 20-0 (13) record seems similar; as a professional he has beaten no one of note.