ANNOUNCED yesterday, has been rumored for a while, the April 1 heavyweight bout between Anthony Joshua and Jermaine Franklin is not an April Fools joke about a fight, on the other hand, nor is it an April Fool’s joke. not one of those things of global relevance or significance.
Instead, it is a war that falls somewhere in between; anything shrug of a fight.
Surely Joshua supporters and fans will understand why he chose Franklin as his so-called “backward” opponent. However, Joshua’s detractors will feel entitled to argue that Franklin, given his lack of experience and recent loss to Dillian Whyte, could theoretically be the worst opponent Joshua has faced since 2016. .
In a way, both of those arguments carry weight. Certainly, one could argue that Joshua’s selection of Franklin is an acceptance that this could be the Londoner’s last run as a title-chasing heavyweight. In other words, if you lose this war, any chance of taking the lead in the third time is very likely to go up in smoke.
Therefore, caution is always the key word when choosing this competitor; Joshua’s first encounter since head-to-head defeats to the great Oleksandr Usyk. A while ago, we heard that his new coaching team wasn’t hungry for boxing again – not when Joshua’s immediate targets were clearly Dillian Whyte and Deontay Wilder, two heavyweights. official signing – and we might as well assume another requirement when choosing his next opponent has become familiar. After all, who wants to come back from two defeats to Oleksandr Usyk only to find themselves meeting an unknown entity whose style is as awkward as the left-handed Ukrainian?
The Joshua team that ultimately chose Franklin showed that these two things were very much on their minds. Because Franklin is not only a mainstream boxer, but he’s also considerably smaller in stature than Joshua, and isn’t considered to be a boxer of that caliber, at least not at any close level. with world class. Furthermore, after watching Franklin play 12 rounds against Whyte last November, Joshua has all the evidence he needs, both from a style standpoint and from a confidence standpoint, which is easy. understood that he would be defeated after 24 rounds in Usyk’s company.
Here, against Franklin, he will know he is facing a man Dillian Whyte, whom Joshua blocked for seven rounds in 2015, was defeated. It was a close match, most would agree, but it still shows, no matter who you believe won, that there isn’t much of a difference between Whyte and Franklin and so there isn’t much to it in theory, therefore. Joshua cares, whoever it is. he fights.
Jermaine Franklin knocks out Dillian Whyte in their heavyweight bout on November 26 (Mark Robinson Matchroom Boxing)
Basically, given that he’s a adjusting opponent, picking Franklin, 21-1 (14), is perfectly fine. It ticks the boxes, as mentioned earlier, and it’s also possible that Franklin is still ambitious enough at 29, and angry enough after that Whyte loss, to give Joshua the type of teamfight he doesn’t. could have been obtained from a number of his former rivals, all of whom may have had a greater reputation than Franklin but with very little ambition and aspiration.
Clearly, in pursuing Whyte the way he did last year, Franklin is someone who believes that the reputations of British heavyweights are somewhat overblown and one can only assume, especially with Joshua’s recent form, that the American tennis player will have this same mindset and approach. in his next fight here on April 1. If he does, the fight might be more than just a prep for Joshua. It can, like Franklin vs Whyte, be interesting; can even be dangerous.
And therein lies confusion with a war like this. Take into account the possibility of error (which exists in most heavyweight fights), as well as the possibility that Joshua doesn’t get credit for any kind of win, and it looks like a more troublesome fight its value. For example, beat Franklin quickly, and Joshua will simply be informed that he has achieved what he intended to achieve. Meanwhile, beat him on points, and Joshua has done nothing more than Whyte, a fighter arguably inferior to him, did when Franklin was undefeated. In short, neither of those paths to victory suffices in the eyes of those who are quick to judge Joshua, and moreover, neither of those paths heralds the return of a man we all love. is said to be operating at the highest level of the sport.
And still you are, isn’t he?? Some even believe Joshua’s second performance against Usyk in August was an improvement over the previous performance he produced in 2021. They say it’s a sign of the growing season. progress and growth and Joshua, when taught a lesson for the first time, has since matured as a warrior and in the long run is better off being challenged and taught by Usyk. If true, then why now need to step back to the present? you can ask. Was the result itself really that important to how well Joshua clearly performed in the loss?
Well, I suppose it actually happened. I also argue that Joshua’s now infamous reaction to his defeat in Saudi Arabia says more about him and his future prospects and his need for care than anything else. what he created in the 12 rounds that he shared with Usyk. Beaten, yes, that’s no doubt, but what Joshua also saw after that fight was broken, and a broken man will always need a period of repair before they stand. firm again and everything is the same as it was before. self.
I suppose this fight against Franklin represents something. For Joshua, it was the first toe back in the water after a near-death experience at sea. This was the first slow ride around the block after a horrible car accident. Therefore, it is a one-time, perfectly acceptable.
In fact, the only problem with it, when analyzing its merits, is how it will inevitably serve as an adjustment battle to turn criticisms before finally being served. as a pay-per-view event (still what it is, despite yesterday’s claims to the contrary) to make sure Joshua, 3/24 (22), gets the money he’s used to with earning every time you step foot in the ring. Worse yet, we know Joshua, given the tendency for big-name fighters to rarely fight, will likely only fight one more time this year, perhaps against Dillian Whyte, which means he will spend the whole of 2023 beating two men involved in one of the matches. The least exciting heavyweight fight took place in 2022.
That, no matter which side you find yourself on in the debate, is hardly something that creates legacy. It also won’t seem particularly smart or effective if, as expected, Joshua, 33, then enters a third “backward” in 2024 – assuming 18 months from his second Usyk loss – defeated only the very same man he once defeated in 2015, who was also one of that man’s recent victims. In other words: go back to square and then back to square one.
