Former boxing heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua has spoken out about his realization that he may not become the undisputed heavyweight champion, noting that the feat is “not in my time frame”.

The 34-year-old will battle Otto Wallin on December 23 in a major heavyweight match that will also feature Deontay Wilder vs. Joseph Parker.

As Joshua enters the fight fresh off victories over Robert Helenius and Jermaine Franklin Jr, He has also acknowledged that he would like to face Francis Ngannou or possibly Wilder in 2024.

Despite this, Joshua believes his prospects of becoming the undisputed heavyweight champion after losing his WBO, WBA, IBO, and IBF titles to Oleksandr Usyk in 2020 are very slim, and that he may have to wait six years to reclaim those belts.

When Laura Woods asked the fighter if he thought he could still battle for the undisputed title in an interview with TNT Sports, he replied, “I used to, but it won’t happen anymore.

“I feel it will probably take me about five to six years to go through and get all the belts and beat all the independent champions, and that will probably take me until I’m 40 or 41 before I do that again. So I’m just like, it’s probably not in my in time frame.”

In August, following consecutive losses to Usyk, Joshua gave a tearful post-fight press conference in which he expressed his dissatisfaction with his performance.

He said, “It’s really, extremely hard for me to say I’m proud of myself,’ Joshua remarked following the fight. “I just feel angry, I don’t feel anything. Deep, down in my heart.” (Daily Trust)