Anthony Joshua is ‘mentally fragile’ and in ‘decline’ next opponent Otto Wallin claims on The Hook, with the Swede insisting AJ ‘knows he’s vulnerable’ and switching coaches again is a bad sign

Anthony Joshua is “mentally unstable” and his December 23 opponent Otto Wallin is in clear decline, he told Mail Sport boxing podcast The Hook.

Wallin will face AJ at a star-studded event in Saudi Arabia as he seeks the biggest win of his career against the two-time world heavyweight champion.

The Swede attracted attention in 2019 when he took Tyson Fury the distance and forced the Gypsy King to receive 47 stitches for a cut above his eye.

Fury’s defeat remains the only one of his career and, with 26 wins under his belt, he represents a dangerous and difficult opponent for Joshua.

AJ remains focused on his desire to win another world title, but Wallin believes the Briton’s physical and mental decline is already evident.

Wallin believes Joshua is no longer the force he once was and now is the perfect time to fight him

“I would say he is still one of the best heavyweights and has had a tremendous career,” Wallin began.

“There has been a decline and I think it has already peaked. I think he is mentally unstable and lacks self-confidence. He changed coaches and I think it will be very difficult for him. People are very critical of him and there is a lot of pressure on him. So I think it weighs on him.”

Joshua is now on his fourth trainer in as many years since splitting with Robert McCracken.

Ben Davidson, a man who had previously worked with Fury, was the latest trainer to get his chance, but none of Robert Garcia, Derrick James or Angel Fernandez were able to make it happen.

“I think it’s certainly a challenge for him,” Wallin said of A.J.’s coaching change. “I have had a coach for 10 years.

“We know each other very well. We trust each other in and outside the ring. He’s been with me for all but two of my professional fights, so it’s been a really good journey together and it’s great that we now have a chance to prove to everyone what we’ve been working on.

Wallin gave Tyson Fury a lot of problems when they met in the US in 2019.

“It’s hard for Joshua. When you keep changing coaches, it’s usually a bad sign, and I think it’s a bad sign for him too.”

Although Joshua is only a year older than Wallin, at 34, he has been at the top of the sport for much longer.

Wallin believes that AJ is no longer the fearsome prospect he once was and that he will get his chance against one of the division’s big names at the right time.

“I think now is the perfect time to meet A.J. He was a search and destroy type of person, he was very aggressive.

“When he first started, he had a short amateur career. He knocked people out. Became a professional by knocking out everyone. Knocked out (Wladimir) Klitschko. And I think he felt invincible, to a large extent.

The Swede remains one of the most dangerous heavyweights in the division with 14 knockouts.

Wallin claims Joshua’s decline began when Andy Ruiz Jr. made him realize he was not invincible.

“And then he lost to Ruiz, he got stopped. He lost to Usyk twice. I think he knows now that he’s vulnerable.

“He knows he could lose and get hurt and he doesn’t like it. He doesn’t like to be hit or hurt. He cares a lot about what people think of him and I think it’s hard for him when people criticize him or boo in the crowd, I think it’s really hard for him,” Wallin insisted.

If Joshua wins, he will face IBF No. 1 ranked Filip Hrgovic.

If that belt is vacated by Oleksandr Usyk, if the IBF appoints a mandatory challenger, Joshua will see this as his shortest route back to a world title and big money – unification fights.