IT is the boxing event of the year.
Riyadh Season has thrown up a fight card to remember – with Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder on the same bill for December 23 and the Day of Reckoning.
Sadly, they won’t be fighting each other. AJ has instead been paired up against Otto Wallin.
Infamously, the Swede gave Tyson Fury a run for his money – taking him all 12 rounds before judges called a tight fight in the Gypsy King’s favour – despite the Brit suffering an awful cut.
Outside the ring, Joshua, 34, and Wallin, 32, live very different lives.
The British boxer is estimated to be worth over £200million, while Wallin’s estimated to have made around £1million over the course of his career.
Read more boxing news
Joshua boasts an enviable lifestyle, while Wallin’s is paired down.
Cars
Thanks to his partnership with Jaguar Land Rover – which is rumoured to be worth £790,000 a year – AJ rolls round London in his choice of a fleet of luxury wheels, including a customised white Jaguar XJR, worth £93,000.
His favourite motor is his personalised black Range Rover, which he says “looks very professional and sets a standard”.
He has come a long way since buying his first car aged 17 – a second-hand Vauxhall Astra that cost £1,500.
Most read in Boxing
That said, he loved it – calling the motor a “stable, sturdy car.”
But AJ isn’t that flash in comparison to other boxers.
There’s no Ferraris or Lamborghinis in sight with his car collection.
In any case, he was happy to buy his old gym in North London a new minibus.
Still, his motors dwarf anything Wallin seems to have in his garage.
A look through his Instagram reveals very little other than a sponsorship with Volvo.
He has been spotted driving their stunning S90 model, that starts at £63,000.
While Otto also posed in front of a XC60 priced from £52,000.
Both big lads, both prefer roomy SUV’s.
Generous souls
Underneath the tough guy exteriors, both AJ and Wallin are incredibly generous.
For Wallin dogs are well and truly his best friend.
He takes great pride in offering his time to foster K9’s, alongside girlfriend Leilah Diong.
Most recently he took to Instagram to celebrate the adoption of a pitbull terrier who was in his care.
With playful video of the pooch’s adorable moments, he wrote: “After fostering King for almost 4 months he’s found his forever home and has been adopted!! It’s the best feeling ever to know @leilahnoelle and I saved him from being euthanized. We’re so happy and excited that he’ll get to live his best life now after going through some very tough times.
“If you’re ever considering fostering – DO IT. This was our 3rd foster and they all have got happy homes now. Nothing beats the feeling of helping an animal in need. Big thanks to @nycacc and everybody that’s ever shared King! We’re so grateful.”
AJ’s biggest soft spot is for his mum, Yeta and after his Olympic heroics in 2012, he generously bought his mum a home in North London.
He credits Yeta for his success, after she got him on the straight and narrow following a rebellious period in his youth.
🥊ANTHONY JOSHUA VS OTTO WALLIN: ALL THE DETAILS YOU NEED AHEAD OF THRILLING SAUDI CLASH🥊
His parents split when he was 12 but he’s still close to his dad, Robert, too.
AJ also bought a £500,000 penthouse in North London, for his ex-girlfriend and son JJ’s mum, Nicole Osbourne, despite them splitting up.
Girlfriends
AJ has always remained tight-lipped about his romances, insisting he would rather concentrate on his career.
However, he did claim that presenter Laura Woods was once his dream date.
In a recent interview with Louis Theroux, the heavyweight boxer revealed he was single and that any prospective date should be warned he still lives with his mum.
Wallin is more lucky in love.
He met JP Morgan banker Leilah Diong in 2020, and the two have been inseparable ever since.
They keep their relationship to themselves, with Wallin sharing a glimpse of his love life on Instagram.
Leilah’s Instagram account though is kept to private.
The couple attended a pal’s wedding earlier this year and celebrated an anniversary at a steakhouse in New York City.
Otto and Leilah are believed to be engaged.
When it comes to holidays…
With such a vast wealth at his disposal, AJ is well-travelled.
When he isn’t training, AJ enjoys exotic holidays with his family and friends, with his Instagram showing him in Dubai, Jamaica, Miami, Paris and plenty more glam trips.
However, he is quite frugal with how he travels.
AJ is sponsored by US sportswear giant Under Armour – who provide him with a private jet, as well as paying him a seven-figure salary.
Often, trips are sponsored by countries and resorts who want the privilege of having the sporting icon spotted hitting their hottest tourist spots.
It helps that he reaches 16 million followers on Instagram, so is one of sport’s biggest influencers.
On the other hand, Wallin squeezed a summer holiday to the Turkish Riviera.
He shared a video on social media on board a private yacht, where he could be spotted shadow boxing.
Should Wallin win in Riyadh, expect that yacht to become a lot bigger.
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
