British heavyweight Anthony Joshua rolled back the years as he overpowered Otto Wallin at Riyadh's Kingdom Arena.
Joshua delivered one of his best displays in recent memory with an impressive stoppage of Wallin early Sunday morning.
The 34-year-old made it three wins from three in 2023 after the fight was called off following a thunderous fifth round which left Wallin unable to continue. The Swede's corner stopped the fight in the break between the fifth and sixth rounds during an action-packed 'Day of Reckoning' event.
Joshua, who had beaten Jermaine Franklin Jr by unanimous decision in April before sealing a seventh-round stoppage against Robert Helenius in August, eased to a 27th professional win.
With football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo sitting ringside alongside former UFC champion Conor McGregor, Joshua immediately got to work, landing jabs and straight right hands.
The two-time unified heavyweight champion dictated the fight from the centre of the ring, forcing his opponent to circle on the outside.
Joshua, who twice beat Wallin on points as an amateur, hurt his opponent in the fifth, throwing thunderous hooks with both hands to leave the Swede unsteady on his feet as he headed back to his corner. His team told the referee he could not continue.
Joshua said he was delighted with the result but refused to say that he was back to his best.
"Not a throwback fight, just another fight. I respect Otto and I was telling everyone in the build-up I need to focus on the man in front of me because of what he brings to the table. It was just another day in the office," Joshua said.
"My approach was victory by any means. This is a treacherous business. It is like snakes and ladders, one win takes you up the ladder and a defeat takes you all the way down so I just want to be victorious for as long as I can. I am a gifted fighter who has a special gift and I am just searching for greatness."
While Joshua dominated, the other big draw of the evening in the kingdom suffered a shock loss.
Joseph Parker defeated former world heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder in a unanimous points decision.
Parker's dominance was reflected by all three judges, who scored the non-title fight 118-111, 118-110, 120-108 in the New Zealander's favour.
The result has possibly scuppered a long-awaited clash between Wilder and Joshua.
There had been speculation that the winner of a possible Wilder-Joshua clash would face the winner of February's clash between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk, who between them currently hold all the major versions of the world heavyweight title.
But Parker, a former WBO title-holder, was too good as he comprehensively defeated Wilder.
Wilder's long period of inactivity appeared to count against the 38-year-old, with Parker landing the cleaner punches. The American briefly rallied in the eighth round but did well to make it to the bell as Parker, 31, hit back with several blows.
"My timing was up a little bit," said Wilder, who fell to 43-3 with 1 draw and 42 knockouts. "Well done Joseph, he did a great job avoiding my punches. We move on to the next thing. We aren't going to base it off that. We live to see another day and that is what it's all about."
When asked if the talk of a fight with Joshua had been a distraction, Wilder said: "A little bit. It was a lot of talk about a lot of things. We make no excuses. We'll be back for sure. We have a little bit more left."
But he added: "I've done a great job with managing my money and investing. I'm a happy fighter. I'll be back soon and if not, it's been a pleasure."
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Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
'Worse than a prison sentence'
Marie Byrne, a counsellor who volunteers at the UAE government's mental health crisis helpline, said the ordeal the crew had been through would take time to overcome.
“It was worse than a prison sentence, where at least someone can deal with a set amount of time incarcerated," she said.
“They were living in perpetual mystery as to how their futures would pan out, and what that would be.
“Because of coronavirus, the world is very different now to the one they left, that will also have an impact.
“It will not fully register until they are on dry land. Some have not seen their young children grow up while others will have to rebuild relationships.
“It will be a challenge mentally, and to find other work to support their families as they have been out of circulation for so long. Hopefully they will get the care they need when they get home.”
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Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Sri Lanka World Cup squad
Dimuth Karunaratne (c), Lasith Malinga, Angelo Mathews, Thisara Perera, Kusal Perera, Dhananjaya de Silva, Kusal Mendis, Isuru Udana, Milinda Siriwardana, Avishka Fernando, Jeevan Mendis, Lahiru Thirimanne, Jeffrey Vandersay, Nuwan Pradeep, Suranga Lakmal.
