Summary

  • Anthony Joshua beats Otto Wallin in main event in Saudi Arabia

  • Briton secures third win in a row in 2023 with confident, methodical performance

  • Joshua hurt Wallin at end of fifth with right hand & corner pulls Swede out of fight between rounds

  • Joshua & Wilder fought on the same card for the first time with view to a showdown in 2024

  • But Joseph Parker pulls off perfect gameplan to get unanimous points decision against Wilder

  • Parker rocks Wilder in eighth round in a dominating performance

  • All three judges score fight for Parker, 118-111, 118-110 & 120-108

  • Manchester's Lyndon Arthur fails in world title challenge against Dmitry Bivol with wide points defeat

  • Bivol retains WBA (Super) light-heavyweight title & extends undefeated record to 22 fights

  • Britain's Daniel Dubois stops American Jarrell Miller in final round of heavyweight contest

  • Dubois weathers some big punches to produce last-gasp stoppage for 20th professional win

  • Get involved #bbcboxing, WhatsApp 03301231826, text 81111 (UK only, standard rates apply)

  1. Thanks and goodbyepublished at 00:30 Greenwich Mean Time 24 December 2023

    That's all for this live page. Thanks for joining us and for your comments.

    It was a great night for Britons Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois as they end their 2023 campaigns with hugely impressive wins.

    Until next time, goodbye for now.

    Anthony JoshuaImage source, Matchroom
    Daniel DuboisImage source, Matchroom
  2. Joshua wins in style but Wilder suffers shock loss - read the reportpublished at 00:27 Greenwich Mean Time 24 December 2023

    Joshua beats Wallin via corner stoppage

    Kal Sajad
    BBC Sport at Kingdom Arena, Riyadh

    Anthony JoshuaImage source, Matchroom

    Anthony Joshua put in a terrific performance to beat Otto Wallin inside the distance but Deontay Wilder's shock points loss to Joseph Parker on the same bill in Saudi Arabia scuppered plans for the long-awaited heavyweight showdown.

    Briton Joshua boxed magnificently, dominating Wallin before the Swede's corner pulled him out of the fight at the end of the fifth.

    Earlier in the night, American Wilder appeared a shadow of himself in Riyadh, and was hurt badly in the eighth as New Zealander Parker was awarded a unanimous decision.

    Parker, also a former world champion, was awarded a unanimous decision with the judges' scoring it 118-111, 118-110 and 120-108.

    Saudi organisers had already pencilled in the Joshua-Wilder bout for next year. While no contract had been signed, the pair were expected to enter the ring post-fight and announce a deal to fight at some point in early 2024.

    Wilder admitted all the talk of a fight at least five years in the making had been "a distraction", although Joshua more than did his part.

    After the fight, promoter Eddie Hearn said Joshua is most likely going to face Croatia's Filip Hrgovic for a vacant IBF world title, bidding to become a three-time world champion.

  3. Dubois shines in last-gasp stoppage against Miller - read the reportpublished at 00:24 Greenwich Mean Time 24 December 2023

    Dubois beats Miller via 10th round stoppage

    Kal Sajad
    BBC Sport at Kingdom Arena, Riyadh

    Daniel Dubois celebrates beating Jarrell MillerImage source, Richard Pelham

    An inspired Daniel Dubois reignited his career by stopping Jarrell Miller with just 10 seconds to go in a thrilling heavyweight contest in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

    With the fight looking destined to go the distance, Briton Dubois unleashed a combination of right and left hooks as Miller stumbled into his corner.

    Miller, who returned from a two-year doping ban last year, was out on his feet as Dubois continued the onslaught before the referee saved the American from any further damage.

    Dubois, 26, returned to winning ways after defeat at world-title level to Oleksandr Usyk in August.

    "It really mattered tonight. I had to dig deep. I came through it and I showed my heart," he told Dazn post-fight.

    "I had my dad screaming in my corner and I knew I had to go out there and work. I had to prove it to myself that I was a real fighter and I could be a champion. I silenced the doubts tonight."

  4. 'Every heavyweight should be on notice'published at 00:22 Greenwich Mean Time 24 December 2023

    Joshua beats Wallin via corner stoppage

    Matchroom's Eddie Hearn, speaking to DAZN: "AJ is back. I believe this Anthony Joshua is the best in the world. He broke Otto Wallin down. He broke his nose. With this mindset and this team, I think he's unbeatable."

    What comes next: "It's a tough decision between the championship and Deontay Wilder. We signed for Wilder but he lost tonight. I'm so happy to see him smiling. Every heavyweight should be on notice. He's back."

  5. 'What comes next for Wilder?'published at 00:20 Greenwich Mean Time 24 December 2023

    Parker beats Wilder by unanimous decision

    Barry Jones
    Former world champion on BBC Radio 5 Live

    You thought Parker would be ahead on the cards, but not by that much. You would also think Wilder would go to catch him with that right hand.

    What comes next for Wilder? It's hard to say at 38-years-old.

  6. Postpublished at 00:17 Greenwich Mean Time 24 December 2023

    Joshua beats Wallin via corner stoppage

    Carl Frampton
    Former world champion on TNT Sports

    I think AJ can become a three-time world champion.

  7. 'Joshua is back'published at 00:13 Greenwich Mean Time 24 December 2023

    Joshua beats Wallin via corner stoppage

    Anthony Joshua's promoter Eddie Hearn, speaking to TNT Sports: "I believe this Anthony Joshua is the best heavyweight in the world. That was a punch-perfect performance tonight. A stunning performance. One that says he is back. With this mindsight in this team, I think he is unbeatable. 2024 will be massive for him.

    "It was a tough decision between the championship and Wilder. We signed for Wilder, he lost tonight, that's OK, it happens in boxing. Maybe it is a blessing because this guy is about championships. He wants to become a three-time heavyweight world champion. It will be Filip Hrgovic against AJ for the world title.

    "I am so happy to see him smiling and performing so well. He is a dangerous man when he is in that kind of mood. 2024 is going to be very interesting, every heavyweight should be on notice - he is back."

  8. Who next for AJ?published at 00:10 Greenwich Mean Time 24 December 2023

    Joshua beats Wallin via corner stoppage

    So, if not Deontay Wilder and he's already beaten Joseph Parker, then who next for Anthony Joshua?

    Zhilei Zhang, the huge Chinese fighter that twice defeated Britain's Joe Joyce this year, is the man who should be next, says former undisputed heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis.

    Croatia's Filip Hrgovic, who destroyed Mark de Mori inside two minutes earlier tonight, is another one heavily tipped.

    Tyson Fury is due to fight Oleksandr Usyk on 17 February for all the heavyweight gold, so those two, with potential rematches as well, may be unavailable until 2025.

  9. 'Deontay... I could rip him apart right now'published at 00:06 Greenwich Mean Time 24 December 2023

    Joshua beats Wallin via corner stoppage

    .Image source, Matchroom

    Anthony Joshua, speaking to DAZN: "I can't rate my performance. Ben Davison, my performance team, I'll leave it up to them."

    Was that the old Anthony Joshua? "Just another fight. I respect Otto. Not so much a throwback fight, just another day in the office. Victory by any means. Like Otto, you want to do whatever it takes to be victorious. That's all I want to be."

    Joshua's record: "I was looking on the roster of heavyweights that have been on this card. I've thought Otto, fought Parker, was going to fight Baby Miller. I've been around the block."

    Otto Wallin praise: "Otto is a true warrior. The corner play a huge role so their fighter can live to fight another day. I'm a gifted fighter and I use my gift. I'm searching for greatness. Ben Davison is a great addition to my goal. I'm sure you can see that today."

    On Wilder losing: "I wasn't watching. I just focused on myself. I know how important it was for me. I heard that Deontay lost. So what? He'll be back. Deontay, everything that he said about me, I could rip him apart right now, but I'm going to take the higher ground."

    Can Wilder come back: "Look at Dubois this evening, you can come back. If he wanted to, he can come back. I'm sure everyone still wants to see that fight."

    Becoming three-time champion: "That would be great. Every fight leads to a final destination. Keep on praying and working hard. I've got to stay focussed because I'm on a journey and it's hard."

    Three wins this year: "We've got bigger ambitions than that. As I said to Louis Theroux, we don't celebrate when we win these fights, we celebrate when we win titles."

  10. Postpublished at 00:00 Greenwich Mean Time 24 December 2023

    Joshua beats Wallin via corner stoppage

    "This Anthony Joshua is the best heavyweight in the world. With this mindset he is unbeatable," says promoter Eddie Hearn.

    .Image source, Matchroom
  11. Postpublished at 23:58 Greenwich Mean Time 23 December 2023

    Joshua beats Wallin via corner stoppage

    We had a proposed date for Joshua v Wilder in 9 March in Riyadh and Joshua doesn't look to have picked up any injuries so should be able to go again soon, if he wants to.

    He's still talking up a potential showdown with Deontay Wilder, but his heavy loss to Joseph Parker earlier tonight may well have the American considering whether now is the time to call it a day.

  12. Postpublished at 23:51 Greenwich Mean Time 23 December 2023

    Joshua beats Wallin via corner stoppage

    Steve Bunce
    Boxing expert on TNT Sports

    A relaxed AJ is a dangerous AJ.

  13. 'I'm back, I'm back'published at 23:51 Greenwich Mean Time 23 December 2023

    Joshua beats Wallin via corner stoppage

    Stacey Copeland
    Former Commonwealth champion on BBC Radio 5 Live

    As Joshua leaned over to Andy Ruiz right in front of us, he mouthed to him, "I'm back, I'm back."

  14. Postpublished at 23:51 Greenwich Mean Time 23 December 2023

    Joshua beats Wallin via corner stoppage

    That's 24 of his 27 wins coming inside the distance. AJ climbs up on the corner, arm aloft, looking focused and somewhere near his best.

    Three wins out of three for AJ in 2023. He should be having a chance to become a three-time world heavyweight champion in 2024.

    .Image source, Matchroom
  15. Joshua winspublished at 23:47 Greenwich Mean Time 23 December 2023
    Breaking

    Otto Wallin's corner say their man has taken too much punishment and he has been withdrawn from the fight before the start of the sixth. Anthony Joshua would surely have finished it off in the next three minutes anyway.

    Joshua with a superb, flawless performance and he wins it. Completely dominant.

    Anthony Joshua winner graphicImage source, BBC Sport
  16. Postpublished at 23:46 Greenwich Mean Time 23 December 2023

    Wallin survives to hear the bell for the fifth. The right cross, left hook from Joshua were shots of beauty.

  17. Postpublished at 23:45 Greenwich Mean Time 23 December 2023

    Another right hook from Joshua and the Wallin legs wobble...

  18. Postpublished at 23:45 Greenwich Mean Time 23 December 2023

    Joshua is quicker with the jab and not giving his opponent any time to recover. The attacks are coming with great regularity and he smashes a left hook into the Wallin face. Wallin in trouble...

    .Image source, Matchroom
  19. Postpublished at 23:44 Greenwich Mean Time 23 December 2023

    Round 5 - Joshua v Wallin

    Another brutal right from Joshua, this one could end pretty soon.

  20. Postpublished at 23:43 Greenwich Mean Time 23 December 2023

    Joshua v Wallin

    Stacey Copeland
    Former Commonwealth champion on BBC Radio 5 Live

    Confident and decisive, that is exactly what we're seeing from Joshua.