Otto Wallin wants a rematch with Tyson Fury as much as Deontay Wilder does.
Whatever chance Wallin had at one, however, is smaller because of an injury that has forced the Swedish heavyweight to withdraw from a bout that might have allowed him to further state his case.
Wallin, who was in Las Vegas last week throughout the build-up for Fury’s stoppage of Wilder on Saturday, suffered a foot injury that will prevent him from fighting Australian Lucas Browne on March 28, Showtime said Wednesday.
Wallin had hoped his bloody loss to Fury in a surprisingly close fight on Sept. 14 would put him in the heavyweight title mix. He lost a decision to Fury. But he also left him with a huge cut above his right eye. The cut, which needed 47 stitches, was thought to be a potential factor in the Wilder rematch but it wasn’t. An overwhelmed Wilder never got a chance to target the scar.
In an interview with Boxing Junkie before the Fury-Wilder rematch, Wallin picked Fury to win. After Fury’s seventh-round stoppage of Wilder, Wallin said he wanted a rematch. He said he wanted to finish the job.
But Fury is moving on. Wilder says he will exercise a contract option for a third fight. Anthony Joshua, who is expected to face Kubrat Pulev in a mandatory title defense this spring, is calling for a title-unification bout.
Wallin’s only option is to get healthy.
Russian Apti Davtaev (20-01, 19 KOs) will replace Wallin against Browne (29-2, 25 KOs), according to Showtime. Davtaev is trained by SugarHill Steward, who was in Fury’s corner against Wilder. The Davtaev-Browne bout is on a card featuring junior a featherweight fight between Luis Nery and Aaron Alameda at Park GM in Las Vegas.