Former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua won a crucial victory against Jermaine Franklin at the O2 Arena in London on Saturday night via unanimous decision. The judges gave Joshua the win with a final score of 118-111, 117–111, and 117-111.
After suffering a painful defeat in his rematch with Oleksandr Usyk last year, Joshua needed to win against the tough American to keep his further aspirations alive. A loss would have been disastrous for the star boxer’s career. Despite not having a world title on the line for the first time in seven years, Joshua was under tremendous pressure to win this fight.
Joshua barely acknowledged the cheers from the crowd as he stepped into the ring, with a grim expression indicating the pressure he was under. Despite the smaller arena, the rapturous reception from the crowd showed Joshua’s popularity in the British boxing scene.
With new trainer Derrick James by his side, Joshua maintained a measured approach in the fight. He boxed behind rapid jabs, occasionally unleashing heavy crosses and solid left hooks but generally relying on quick jabbing to catch Franklin off guard.
Although Joshua picked up rounds, he struggled to make the statement he needed, failing to score a knockout or knockdown against Franklin. In the 11th round, Joshua landed a fine right uppercut on the inside, hurting Franklin, but was caught on the end of a clean right cross. The fight ended with an ugly scene, with a brawl nearly erupting on the ring apron between Franklin’s corner and Joshua.
The win was crucial for Joshua’s future progression, propelling him back towards the upper end of the heavyweight division. While he had declared before the fight that he had found the answers to the questions he had been asking himself, his performance on Saturday was not convincing to everyone. This was the third fight in a row where Joshua had a new team in his corner, highlighting the importance of finding the right support system.
Overall, Joshua’s victory against Franklin was an essential win, allowing him to continue his journey towards regaining his former glory as a heavyweight champion.
Leon Osamor
