Anthony Joshua speaks to his head coach Ben Davison during the media workout ahead of his heavyweight fight against Otto Wallin at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Saturday, December 23, 2023. AFP
British heavyweight Anthony Joshua spent less than a minute shadow boxing for his workout. PA
Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn looks on as Anthony Joshua trains during the media workout day. Joshua's fight against Otto Wallin is one of the co-main events on the 'Day of Reckoning' card. Getty
Sweden's Otto Wallin does some light shadow boxing during his workout. Getty
Anthony Joshua poses for a photo with children from a Riyadh boxing club. Getty
Otto Wallin has a pro record of 26 wins, one loss and one no contest. Getty
Former WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder hits the pads with head coach Malik Scott. Getty
Deontay Wilder takes on another former heavyweight champion Joseph Parker in the co-main event at 'Day of Reckoning' in Saudi Arabia. Getty
American heavyweight Deontay Wilder has won 42 of his 43 fights by knockout, suffering only two defeats and one draw. Getty
Deontay Wilder trains with his head coach Malik Scott. Getty
New Zealander Joseph Parker is a former WBO heavyweight champion and Deontay Wilder's opponent on Saturday. Getty
Joseph Parker poses during the media workout. Getty
Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder went through very different workouts ahead of their coming bouts in Saudi Arabia.
British heavyweight Joshua, who faces Otto Wallin in Riyadh on Saturday, kept his public workout low-key, doing barely a minute of shadow boxing before he invited local youngsters into the ring.
American Wilder, meanwhile, tuned up for his clash with Joseph Parker by giving a glimpse of his awesome power during a more high octane workout with head coach Malik Scott.
Former two-time world heavyweight champion Joshua will step into the ring for 30th time this weekend on a card billed as the "Day of Reckoning", but the talk ahead of this latest bout in Saudi Arabia has swirled around a proposed clash with Wilder in 2024.
“I do want to hurt him, that’s fact,” Joshua (26-3, 23KOs) told TNT Sports, when asked about Wallin.
“This [workout] ain’t fun for me, this is just work. What will be fun is Saturday night getting my hand raised.
“All of this is really nice, but this ain’t for me. This is for the entertainment, for the viewers, for the people who have come to Saudi to watch a night of boxing. My entertainment is in the ring on Saturday night and I’m not there yet so I’ve got to stay focused.
“I’m here with you guys out of contractual obligations so I will fulfil my obligations but ultimately my true, true obligation is to fight on Saturday night.
“I need to win, I have to win and yeah, if it is destined and meant to be, it’s meant to be.”
Before Joshua stepped in the ring for his non-workout, which has been a feature of other fight weeks, Wilder discussed the pressure being put his 34-year-old rival.
Wilder (43-2-1, 42KOs) added: “It’s been so long that people talk about me and him getting in the ring. I think there is a lot more pressure on him than me.
“A lot of people talk about how he responded to media. I had a lot of media come up to me today and ask me about his behaviour. I say you all put a lot of pressure on him. He has got to focus on Otto Wallin.
“You put a lot of pressure on him, I wish everyone would back off him.”
Key facilities
Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
Premier League-standard football pitch
400m Olympic running track
NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
600-seat auditorium
Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
Specialist robotics and science laboratories
AR and VR-enabled learning centres
Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Company name: Play:Date
Launched: March 2017 on UAE Mother’s Day
Founder: Shamim Kassibawi
Based: Dubai with operations in the UAE and US
Sector: Tech
Size: 20 employees
Stage of funding: Seed
Investors: Three founders (two silent co-founders) and one venture capital fund
Sole survivors
Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
Arrogate's winning run
1. Maiden Special Weight, Santa Anita Park, June 5, 2016
2. Allowance Optional Claiming, Santa Anita Park, June 24, 2016
3. Allowance Optional Claiming, Del Mar, August 4, 2016
4. Travers Stakes, Saratoga, August 27, 2016
5. Breeders' Cup Classic, Santa Anita Park, November 5, 2016
6. Pegasus World Cup, Gulfstream Park, January 28, 2017
7. Dubai World Cup, Meydan Racecourse, March 25, 2017
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
not be younger than 25 years old
not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
What is blockchain?
Blockchain is a form of distributed ledger technology, a digital system in which data is recorded across multiple places at the same time. Unlike traditional databases, DLTs have no central administrator or centralised data storage. They are transparent because the data is visible and, because they are automatically replicated and impossible to be tampered with, they are secure.
The main difference between blockchain and other forms of DLT is the way data is stored as ‘blocks’ – new transactions are added to the existing ‘chain’ of past transactions, hence the name ‘blockchain’. It is impossible to delete or modify information on the chain due to the replication of blocks across various locations.
Blockchain is mostly associated with cryptocurrency Bitcoin. Due to the inability to tamper with transactions, advocates say this makes the currency more secure and safer than traditional systems. It is maintained by a network of people referred to as ‘miners’, who receive rewards for solving complex mathematical equations that enable transactions to go through.
However, one of the major problems that has come to light has been the presence of illicit material buried in the Bitcoin blockchain, linking it to the dark web.
Other blockchain platforms can offer things like smart contracts, which are automatically implemented when specific conditions from all interested parties are reached, cutting the time involved and the risk of mistakes. Another use could be storing medical records, as patients can be confident their information cannot be changed. The technology can also be used in supply chains, voting and has the potential to used for storing property records.
Liverpool’s Uefa Champions League bid: “They’re great. With the attacking force they have, for me, they’re certainly one of the favourites. You look at the teams left in it - they’re capable of scoring against anybody at any given time. Defensively they’ve been good, so I don’t see any reason why they couldn’t go on and win it.”
Mohamed Salah’s debut campaign at Anfield: “Unbelievable. He’s been phenomenal. You can name the front three, but for him on a personal level, he’s been unreal. He’s been great to watch and hopefully he can continue now until the end of the season - which I’m sure he will, because he’s been in fine form. He’s been incredible this season.”
Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s instant impact at former club LA Galaxy: “Brilliant. It’s been a great start for him and for the club. They were crying out for another big name there. They were lacking that, for the prestige of LA Galaxy. And now they have one of the finest stars. I hope they can go win something this year.”
