Otto Wallin aiming for top heavyweight names, including Anthony Joshua

Otto Wallin, the Swedish heavyweight now based in New York, gave Tyson Fury a much tougher challenge than much of anyone expected in 2019, and now the 29-year-old is looking to get back to big fights.

Promoter Dmitriy Salita says Wallin, who believes he had COVID-19, is working his way back into fight shape at the moment and hoping to face the likes of Anthony Joshua or Dillian Whyte down the line:

“The plan is for Otto to get back into boxing shape and back to the gym once they open up in New York. This week he started doing some boxing training with his trainer Joey Gamache outside in the park. ... Otto has proved his world-class abilities in his last fight versus Tyson Fury, and in the near future can be ready for Joshua and Whyte.”

Salita has also recently said that Wallin (20-1, 13 KO) would like another shot at Fury.

Rankings-wise, Wallin isn’t in the best positions. He’s not ranked by either the WBA or WBO, while the WBC have him the No. 30 contender, and he’s No. 15 with the IBF. Of course that can all change very quickly as sanctioning bodies do whatever the hell they want with these lists because nobody oversees the overseers and they answer to nobody about this stuff.

Based on that Fury fight, Wallin really is one of the more interesting guys at heavyweight right now. He looked like a sincere contender in that bout, but it also was largely, perhaps, the fact Fury couldn’t see out of one eye for most of the bout. That was due to a cut caused by a Wallin punch, mind you, so fair enough, but he has no notable wins, either. He’s an intriguing question mark right now and someone it should be fun to see coming back and trying to get back into the spotlight.