By: Sean Crose
Despite what many fans of the ring seem to believe in recent years, failure in the ring is not the end for a fighter. At this point, American heavyweight boxer Jermaine Franklin can certainly attest to it. According to multiple reports, the man will face former WBA, IBF and WBO world heavyweight Anthony Joshua on April 1 at the O2 Arena in London. Franklin was last seen facing longtime rival Dillian Whyte in November. Whyte won the fight, even though it was close. Pretty close.
And now he’s facing Joshua. A win here would completely boost the man’s career. However, the focus here is on Joshua himself, and rightfully so. After all, this man is a two-time multi-belt world champion. Furthermore, this fight – which really looks like it will – presents a win-or-lose scenario for the towering Londoner. Because Joshua has lost two fights in a row in the past – both to Oleksandr Usyk. Now that his title is gone and his reputation has been severely damaged, this man is in dire need of a win.
Of course, this leads to the conclusion that Joshua is clearly expected to win this bout. Franklin was considered good enough to take on Joshua, but not good enough to win. Team Joshua is looking for their man to avoid getting right into a big fight with someone like Tyson Fury or Deontay Wilder. Usyk has shown the limitations of the man, so Joshua not only has to pay attention to his competition at the moment, but also has to grow a bit as a boxer. After all, there’s a reason why Joshua is busy looking for a new trainer. He is focusing on his career entering a new phase rather than risking it falling around him.
What is the problem? That while no major title is at stake, this is a fight of considerable relevance. For Joshua, that could mean saving his career, or even taking it in a new direction. For Franklin, it was the opportunity of a lifetime, one that could boost his entire résumé — and possibly even the current state of the heavyweight division. At 33, Joshua 27-3 has plenty of time to get his career back on track. And at the age of 29, Franklin is in the perfect position to appoint the division’s new guard.
