Hello and welcome to Columnist24’s live coverage of the ‘Day of Reckoning’ boxing bill in Riyadh, which features a slew of heavyweight contenders.
The Day of Reckoning boxing program from Saudi Arabia on Saturday has gotten a lot of attention. That’s not unexpected given that the top two fights on the card include Deontay Wilder and Anthony Joshua, with a future showdown on the line.
Wilder will compete against Joseph Parker, while Joshua will compete against Otto Wallin. Those are serious heavyweight clashes for the former world champions, and either guy might make a mistake that takes the wind out of Wilder vs. Joshua’s sails in 2024.
Aside from those two big fights, there are famous names all over the undercard, which has more substance than most boxing shows. Among those competing on the undercard is pound-for-pound list regular Dmitry Bivol, former cruiserweight world champion Jai Opetaia, and a slew of heavyweight contenders.
Date and timing of Joshua vs. Wallin
- This event is scheduled for Saturday, December 23.
- It will take place in the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
- The undercard action is scheduled to begin at 3:15 pm, with the main event ring-walks taking place between 10:30 and 10:45 pm.
FitePass Coverage of Joshua vs. Wallin
The FitePass team is in Riyadh, where they have obtained commentary rights for the Day Of Reckoning.
Throughout fight week, we’ll have unique content and a daily podcast to bring you up to date on the latest from each camp before giving live commentary from Saudi Arabia on Saturday night.
Adam Catterall will host, with a ringside lineup of all of FitePass’s biggest names. FitePass will also be conducting a live blog.
WBA Light Heavyweight Title: Dmitry Bivol (c) vs. Lyndon Arthur
One of the best fighters on the planet is on the card, but you’d never know if you weren’t paying attention. WBA light heavyweight title Bivol has yet to capitalize on his May 2022 victory over Saul “Canelo” Alvarez. Bivol’s bout with Arthur is only his second since defeating Alvarez, who fought Gilberto Ramirez in November 2022. Following his victory against Alvarez, there was discussion of a rematch, which now appears unlikely, and a bout with unified champion Artur Beterbiev to declare an undisputed champion at 175 pounds. Neither of those things have transpired, and the WBC has repeatedly blocked a fight with Beterbiev, with Mauricio Sulaiman claiming Bivol is unable to win their title owing to current sanctions against Russian fighters and threatening to stop the fight. Bivol also required time off after undergoing hand surgery in early 2023.
All of this means Bivol will enter the ring as a big favorite against the completely unknown Arthur on Saturday night. Arthur has a significant victory on his CV, having defeated Anthony Yarde in a split decision in 2020. The rematch did not go as well, with Arthur losing by fourth-round knockout, his only defeat in his career. Since then, Arthur has won four fights, three by stoppage, and earned the IBO title, which is not a recognized world championship, to earn a crack at the division’s top dog.
Cruiserweight: Jai Opetaia vs. Ellis Zorro
By accepting this battle, Opetaia has chosen money over being a world champion. After receiving an IBF exemption to fight Jordan Thompson in September, Opetaia sought a second exemption to face Zorro, who is not even ranked by the IBF. The IBF objected, threatening to deprive Opetaia of his title if the fight went ahead, and followed through on that threat, stripping Opetaia of his title. Opetaia is said to be negotiating on a $2 million deal with Saudi Arabia for three fights.
Opetaia is a gigantic -2500 favorite to beat Zorro, who has never faced anyone approaching Opetaia’s level of expertise. There doesn’t appear to be much drama heading into Saturday, with Opetaia as the more experienced fighter and a world-championship contender facing an opponent who is so far out of the title picture that the IBF was willing to strip a title over it. But the name of the game is “prizefighting,” and Opetaia has chosen the prize of money over the reward of being world champion.
Heavyweight: Daniel Dubois vs. Jarrell Miller
While the preceding fights are lacking in suspense due to huge favorites facing lesser opponents, Dubois vs. Miller is intriguing. Dubois was stopped by Oleksandr Usyk earlier this year in a world title fight. That defeat was not without dispute, with Dubois hitting a shot that sent Usyk to the canvas but was ultimately ruled a low blow rather than a legitimate body shot. Dubois disagreed with the decision, but his appeal was denied, and it was time for him to go on and face the next challenge in his career.
Miller will always be burdened by several drug test failures for performance-enhancing drugs, one of which forced him to withdraw from a fight with Anthony Joshua. Miller tested positive for practically every PED under the sun on that first failed test. Miller’s two defeats resulted in a lengthy absence from the ring, with no fights between November 2018 and June 2022. Regardless of the baggage, Miller is an undefeated American heavyweight with a 26-0-1 record and 22 knockout victories, which can keep a fighter in the spotlight. A victory over Dubois might propel Miller closer to a title chance, which may not sit well with many supporters given his prior transgressions.
Heavyweight: Arslanbek Makhmudov vs. Agit Kabayel
On paper, this appears to be an intriguing fight. Makhmudov has an 18-0 record with 17 knockouts, while Kabayel has a 23-0 record with 15 stoppage victories. When you look a bit deeper, you can understand why Makhmudov is a -1000 favorite. Makhmudov possesses strong punching power and has a decisive win over former world championship challenger Carlos Takam. Kabayel has a majority decision win against Derek Chisora, but he has a softer record and is a less dangerous puncher than Makhmudov, who, at 34 years old, will need to speed up his career if he wants to compete for a championship opportunity down the road.
Heavyweight: Frank Sanchez vs. Junior Fa
Sanchez advanced in the heavyweight class with a convincing victory over Efe Ajagba in October 2021. Rather than raising his game, Sanchez lowered his opponent’s level, which was especially noticeable in his recent matches with Daniel Martz and Scott Alexander. Fa is a better opponent, yet he is predicted to lose here. After starting his career 19-0, Fa lost a decision against Joseph Parker before being finished in less than two minutes by Lucas Browne in his scheduled “get right” fight. He has since rebounded with a four-round win over a 0-6 opponent, so it’s unclear where Fa is now given that run of outcomes.
Heavyweight: Filip Hrgovic vs. Mark De Mori
This fight is, quite frankly, a disgrace. Hrgovic is the current IBF heavyweight mandatory challenger. De Mori was knocked out in the first round by David Haye in 2016 and has subsequently won 11 fights. That may appear to be a fantastic run, but De Mori’s opponents had a combined record of 161-185-2 going into those contests. While any rating system has limitations, this is a showdown between the world’s No. 9 and No. 371 heavyweights, according to BoxRec.
Joshua Fight card (11 a.m. ET)
- Anthony Joshua vs. Otto Wallin (live blog)
- Deontay Wilder vs. Joseph Parker (live blog)
- Daniel Dubois vs. Jarrell Miller
- Dmitry Bivol vs. Lyndon Arthur
- Arslanbek Makhmudov vs. Agit Kabayel
- Jai Opetaia vs. Ellis Zorro
- Filip Hrgovic vs. Mark De Mori
- Frank Sanchez vs. Junior Fa
