Tyson Fury has been warned he “has everything to lose” by Sweden’s Otto Wallin as the 14 September bout between the pair was confirmed.
News of 30-year-old Fury’s Las Vegas contest with Wallin broke on 2 August.
The Briton is expected to face WBC world heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder in 2020 if he wins.
“I know I’m an underdog in this fight, but I’m ready for this opportunity and I’m going to grab it with both hands,” said Wallin, 28.
“Anybody can get beat and especially in the heavyweight division. I like the fact that I have everything to gain and Tyson has everything to lose.”
Wallin, a 6ft 5in southpaw, has 20 wins – 13 via knockout – and one no contest on his record.
In the rankings of the four major sanctioning bodies, he is ranked fourth globally by the WBA and 11th by the IBF but has never competed with an opponent of the calibre of Fury – the former IBF, WBO and WBA world heavyweight champion.
“Otto Wallin is a world-ranked fighter and is tall, something we want with the Deontay Wilder rematch around the corner,” said Fury, who has 28 wins and a draw on his record.
“He is also a southpaw, which will bring its own obstacles, but I will be fully focused to get this job done because the rematch needs to happen.”
Wilder is due to face Cuba’s Luis Ortiz later this year in a repeat of their 2018 contest in which the American scored a late stoppage.
Should he win again and Fury overcomes Wallin, the pair – who shared a thrilling draw on 1 December – were expected contest their rematch on 22 February.
“After the Ortiz fight, Wilder isn’t going to be ready to fight again in February,” Fury told BT Sport. “So after I beat Wallin, I am going to fight again in December back in England.”
Legendary promoter Bob Arum, who promotes Fury in the US, has said he “can’t fathom” why the rematch with Wilder is not happening next.
