A critical look at the past week in boxing
BIGGEST WINNER
Anthony Joshua
The new coach of former heavyweight champion Derrick James said after the fact that all he wanted was a win over Jermaine Franklin on Saturday at the O2 Arena in London. Decision or knockout, it doesn’t matter. Mission accomplished. Joshua controlled the match from the start with his powerful jab and plenty of precise, hard right-handed swings. The smaller Franklin was willing but unable to dodge oncoming hits or execute his shot consistently. So no one was surprised when the official score was announced: 118-111, 117-111 and 117-111, people close to Joshua heard. He is back on the winning column after three long years and has taken an important step in the right direction after consecutive defeats that crippled Oleksander Usyk. Victory could directly lead to a bout with fellow countryman and owner Tyson Fury. Or, if not immediately possible, Deontay Wilder and Dillian Whyte are possible options on Joshua’s continuing journey of redemption. Bottom line: Joshua is back in business.
THE BIGGEST FAILERS
Anthony Joshua
Anthony Joshua won but didn’t speak forcefully. James Chance / Getty Images
Joshua got the job done but it wasn’t his best hour. And that might not be good for him. Let’s face it: He’s never been the same since Andy Ruiz Jr. Injuring him in the third round and stopping him in the seventh in an unforgettable match in 2019. He recovered by overtaking Ruiz in the rematch and then knocking out Pulev, 39 years old. But the ferocious knock-out artist of years past Ruiz is gone, making way for a capable but careful boxer who doesn’t care about taking unnecessary risks lest he be stopped again. Old, confident Joshua would destroy a second-rate opponent like Franklin. The current version spends a lot of time holding back his frustrated opponent as well as punching him late in the match, when Franklin is particularly easy to take down. That’s a bad look. Joshua wants to stop Franklin, he wants to make a statement, he wants to show everyone that he is still the heavyweight fighter that knocked out Wladimir Klitschko in the Hall of Famer in 2017. The problem for him ? That’s not who he is anymore.
BIGGEST MISTAKE?
Rage versus Joshua
Can Joshua beat Tyson Fury? Ringo Chiu, Fayez Nureldine / AFP via Getty Images
One should never look down on a talented boxer like Joshua. And make no mistake: Joshua is a good boxer, as he showed in his second fight with Usyk. He threw a few punches to turn the tide against his Ukrainian opponent, which would be a huge achievement. However, I don’t see how this version of Joshua beats Fury. Fury is bigger, better, and mentally tougher than sly Joshua. Joshua may be a bigger puncher but how far will that take him? He couldn’t stop Franklin. Can he do so against a man who survived three battles against Deontay Wilder? It doesn’t seem likely. The fight could look like Fury’s encounter with Klitschko, 39, who has a similar style to Joshua. He fights after his powerful stab and slams his opponent with his right hand. A younger, less experienced Fury nullified everything Klitschko attempted to do and won a clear decision in his explosive fight. Will it be different from Joshua? No possibility.
TRULY PUTTING
Roy Jones Jr.54 years old, lost by majority decision in a punitive match against former UFC champion Anthony Pettis on Saturday in Milwaukee even though Pettis has no boxing experience. And Jones (66-10, 47 KOs) said there will be many more such matches. Boxers over the age of 50 are not allowed to participate in sanctioned matches, in which both sides are said to be merciless in the most dangerous sports. Shame on officials in Wisconsin. Why not go to the exhibits if Jones wants to stay in the game, as he did with Mike Tyson in 2020? The participants can then perform and earn money without the risks inherent in real fights. This just doesn’t feel right. … Robeisy Ramirez (12-1, 7 KOs) bounced back from a catastrophic failure on his professional debut, outperforming and easily overtaking the former 122-pound belt holder Isaac Dogboe (24-3, 15 KOs) to win the empty 126-pound title on Saturday in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Apparently the two-time Olympic champion from Cuba is an excellent boxer. And he will get better if he stays focused. Southpaw relies almost exclusively on his distance and his left hand. If he uses his jab and throws more combinations, he can be terrifyingly good. … Dogboe did not handle his post-match interview well, arguing so much that he was robbed and demanded a rematch. Let’s not be too harsh on him; His feelings get better with him. But c’mon. It was not a close fight. And he won’t get a rematch. It’s almost always best if you say something like, “Hey, tonight’s not my night,” and move on.
