Avila Perspective, Chap. 265: Boxing From Riyadh to Tokyo

It’s a blockbuster boxing week coming at the end of 2023.

First, if you’re a fighter not weighing 175 pounds or more, don’t bother to lace up in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, as heavyweights and light heavyweights highlight a boxing card. And as former champion Sergio Mora said, it’s reminiscent of those good ole Don King-type cards.

Former heavyweight champions Anthony Joshua, Deontay Wilder and Joseph Parker and current light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol headline the fight card co-promoted by Matchroom Boxing, Top Rank, Salita Promotions, Sauerland, Queensbury Promotions and SES Sports Events.

DAZN pay-per-view and ESPN pay-per-view will stream the impressive card beginning Saturday, Dec. 23, at 8 a.m. Pacific Time for $39.99.

It’s stacked.

Joshua (26-3, 23 KOs) fought twice and won twice since his second meeting with Oleksandr Uysk and faces Sweden’s southpaw Otto Wallin (26-1, 14 KOs) whose only loss came against Tyson Fury. It’s not a walkover for anyone.

“Without a win on Saturday night there is no future,” admitted Joshua.

Wallin expects to be better-known after Saturday.

“I just know there’s going to be a new king and he’s from Sweden,” Wallin said confidently.

And then there is former heavyweight champions Deontay Wilder (43-2-1, 42 KOs) and Joseph Parker (33-3, 23 KOs) set to clash too.

“I come to bring the pain,” says Wilder who knows a win could guarantee a dream matchup with Joshua.

Parker has other plans.

“Fight fire with fire and let my hands go,” Parker said is his goal.

And just to add coal to the fire a light heavyweight championship there is a fight between WBA titlist Dmitry Bivol (21-0, 11 KOs) and Lyndon Arthur (23-1, 16 KOs).

But mainly this is a boxing card featuring top heavyweights, the big boys, the behemoths of prizefighting.

Few come bigger than Jarrell “Big Baby” Miller (26-0-1, 22 KOs) who weighed 333 pounds and meets former title-holder Daniel Dubois (19-2, 18 KOs) who weighs 239 pounds. Almost 100 pounds less than Big Baby.

“Break him down and beat him up. Either way the shrimp is going to be cooked,” American heavyweight Miller says is his game plan.

Dubois offered no prediction.

“Tomorrow we’re going to find out,” said England’s Dubois.

Don’t forget the pay-per-view portion begins at 8 a.m. PT/11 a.m. ET.

Tokyo on Tuesday Morning

One of the best fighters, period, ends the year as Naoya “Monster” Inoue seeks to become an undisputed world champion for a second time.

WBC and WBO titlist Inoue (25-0, 22 KOs) meets IBF and WBA titlist Marlon Tapales (37-3, 19 KOs) to determine who’s the true king of the 122-pounders on Tuesday Dec. 26, at Ariake Arena in Tokyo. ESPN+ will stream the Top Rank and Ohashi Promotions card.

For west coast fans that means Inoue-Tapales should be stepping in the ring around 2:55 a.m. PT (5:55 a.m. ET.)

Crawford and Inoue

If you want to see one of the top fighters in the world perform, get up early.

Inoue’s destruction of super bantamweight champion Stephen Fulton and bantamweight champion Nonito Donaire to become undisputed bantamweight world champion are examples of his legendary skills.

Inoue seeks to add undisputed super bantamweight status to undisputed bantamweight champion. The last male fighter to accomplish the same feat is Terence Crawford.

Riyadh Bout Order:

1. Frank Sanchez vs. Junior Fa
2. Filip Hrgovic vs. Mark De Mori
3. Jai Opetaia vs Ellis Zorro
4. Arslanbek Makhmudov vs. Agit Kabayel
5. Dmitry Bivol vs. Lyndon Arthur
6. Daniel Dubois vs. Jarrell Miller
7. Deontay Wilder vs. Joseph Parker
8. Anthony Joshua vs. Otto Wallin

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