Otto Wallin’s career has largely been shaped by one big night.
Almost five years ago, Sweden’s Wallin stepped into the ring with Tyson Fury at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas and gave the once and future heavyweight titleholder one of the toughest fights of his career. Fury walked away with a cut over his eye and a serious scare – but also with a unanimous decision win.
Now that Fury, 34-1-1 (24 KOs), is preparing for a rematch against Oleksandr Usyk, 22-0 (14 KOs), on Saturday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Wallin can’t help but think back to his own experience in the ring with “The Gypsy King.”
Wallin, 27-2 (15 KOs), now training out of New York City, is preparing for his own big fight. On February 8, he will face Derek Chisora at the Co-op Live Arena in Manchester, England. And what he learned from his fight with Fury – his first major opponent – still sticks with him.
“Like everyone can see, he’s an awkward guy,” Wallin, 34, said of Fury. “He’s big, but he boxes really well. What I took from our fight was how good he is at adjusting. In the first half of the fight, I had a lot of success. But in the second half, he figured me out and took over. He’s great at making changes mid-fight.”
As for how he sees Fury approaching Usyk in their rematch? Wallin admits it’s hard to predict.
“I don’t know. He might come out boxing, or he might try to be aggressive,” Wallin said. “Honestly, I’m not even sure he knows.”
Wallin also shared his thoughts on Usyk, who continues to impress at heavyweight despite starting his career as a cruiserweight.
“I think Usyk has probably gained a lot of confidence from the first fight,” Wallin said. “He’s a very smart, very good fighter. I also think he’s getting stronger. I think he hurt Fury in their first fight.”
While the world’s attention will be on Fury and Usyk, Wallin is focused on his own task. He’s taking on the experienced Chisora, a 40-year-old veteran with a 35-13 (23 KOs) record. Chisora, who recently defeated Joe Joyce, still poses a threat, and Wallin knows what’s at stake.
“What I got from the Fury fight was experience,” Wallin said. “Just going 12 rounds with one of the best and going through the whole process of a big fight. It taught me a lot. Since then, I’ve had some good moments and some tough ones, but all of them have been learning experiences. I feel ready for this fight.”
For Wallin, every fight is another step toward his ultimate goal. After his loss to Anthony Joshua last year, a win over Chisora could open the door to even bigger opportunities for major fights – something that delights him.
“I think it’s amazing,” Wallin said. “Growing up, I dreamed of fights like this, and now I’m living it. I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished, but now it’s about getting ready, winning this fight and hopefully earning an even bigger one after that.”
Lucas Ketelle is a proud member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and author of “Inside The Ropes of Boxing” (available on Amazon). Contact him on X @LukieBoxing.
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