September 8, 2023 - Swedish top heavyweight Otto Wallin is set to take on former unified cruiserweight champion Murat Gassiev in a significant bout on September 30, 2023. This clash will unfold at the Regnum Carya Hotel in Antalya, Turkey, and will feature a 12-round contest for the WBA Intercontinental Heavyweight Title.

Wallin (25-1, 14 KOs) has been searching for a credible heavyweight opponent, and he's finally found one in the form of Murat Gassiev (30-1, 23 KOs). This fight will undoubtedly be the most significant action for the 32-year-old Swede since his highly anticipated October 2021 bout against Dillian Whyte was abruptly canceled just 10 days before the scheduled date due to Whyte's reported shoulder injury.

The cancellation of the Whyte-Wallin bout proved to be a turning point for Wallin's career, as Dillian Whyte went on to fight the unbeaten heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, resulting in a historic event that drew a record crowd of 94,000 spectators to London's Wembley Stadium in April 2022.

"I feel great that I've got this fight coming up," Wallin stated. "The last couple of years have been tough with no significant fights, but finally, I have a big opportunity, and I'm ready to take it with both hands. My training has been going really well, and I'm excited to go out to Turkey and handle business."

Otto Wallin's only loss in his professional career came nearly four years ago when he faced the Tyson Fury (33-0-1, 24 KOs) in a 12-round unanimous decision. Since then, Wallin has been steadily working his way back into the spotlight, with his last fight taking place on January 27. On that occasion, he comfortably defeated Helaman Olguin (9-6-1, 4 KOs) by unanimous decision in an eight-round bout held at the Castleton Banquet & Conference Center in Windham, New Hampshire.

Across the ring from Wallin stands the relentless Russian heavyweight, Murat Gassiev, who boasts an impressive 4-0 record since transitioning from the cruiserweight division to the heavyweight ranks. Gassiev's venture into the heavyweight division came after losing the IBF and WBA cruiserweight championships to Oleksandr Usyk in a title unification bout five years ago in Moscow. Usyk (21-0, 14 KOs) would go on to outpoint Anthony Joshua twice in 12-round heavyweight title fights, solidifying his status as a dominant force in the division.

In his most recent outing, Gassiev, aged 29, delivered a statement by knocking out the previously unbeaten American fighter Mike Balogun (20-1, 16 KOs) in just the second round. This impressive victory further established Gassiev as a formidable heavyweight contender, setting the stage for his upcoming clash with Otto Wallin.

As the fight date draws near, the anticipation for this heavyweight showdown will swell. Wallin and Gassiev both have their sights set on greatness, and the Regnum Carya Hotel in Antalya, Turkey, will bear witness to their battle to get into the top 10.

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