Can Anthony Joshua Bounce Back Against Jermaine Franklin?
Saturday night’s main event sees two boxers in danger of slipping out of touch in the heavyweight division leave it all in the ring.
England’s Anthony Joshua will be hoping to avoid a third consecutive defeat, while the American Jermaine Franklin attempts to battle back from adversity for the first time in his career.
Anthony Joshua vs Jermaine Franklin Head-to-Head
There is a cracking line-up if you’re betting on boxing this weekend, including the promising 13-0 Austin Williams against River Wilson-Bent and a European Middleweight Title bout between Matteo Signani and the undefeated Englishman Felix Cash.
But the fight we’re all looking forward to is the main event, which will be contested in front of a sold-out O2 Arena in London. The latest Anthony Joshua vs Jermaine Franklin odds have AJ as a runaway -1200 favorite, with the visiting Franklin a massive +600 underdog.
When you break down their careers thus far, it’s not too difficult to see why. Joshua was the British star boy for a long time, beating world-class talent like Dillian Whyte, Alexander Povetkin, Andy Ruiz, and most notably, Ukrainian legend Wladimir Klitschko.
Limbo
The tides have turned in the last two years and back-to-back defeats against Oleksandr Usyk have left AJ’s career in limbo. Despite that recent dip in form, he has undoubtedly fought, and beaten, far more elite boxers.
As for Franklin, his resume is not quite as impressive. A run of 13 finishes in his first 16 professional fights launched him onto the heavyweight boxing scene. As the competition got tougher, the American’s victories became less convincing, with a run of four successive decision wins spanning two years.
Franklin’s most recent win came against 47-year-old Rodney Moore in May last year, dispatching his 20-21 compatriot in the fifth round. This was followed months later by a majority decision defeat against Dillian Whyte, a man that Joshua knocked out in 2015.
April’s Assignment 🫡 @DAZNBoxing pic.twitter.com/6Vka6LV5aX
— Anthony Joshua (@anthonyjoshua) February 9, 2023
Anthony Joshua to Win in Style
The odds are stacked in Joshua’s favor for a reason – he is comfortably the superior boxer. He will be expected to put on a clinic and will be fancied by many to land his first stoppage since victory over Kubrat Pulev in 2020. AJ to win by KO/TKO is currently priced at -400.
After a tricky couple of years, there’s every chance Joshua comes flying out the blocks in front of an electric home crowd. The odds stand at +350 for the fight to end within three rounds, with a first-round AJ knockout priced at a huge +1300. Franklin is a tough competitor and has heavy hands but the bookies aren’t giving the American much of a chance. A Franklin decision win stands at +900, with a KO or TKO win at +1300.
A heavy wait ⏳
Live exclusively on https://t.co/QrnkfNRtDc pic.twitter.com/2F9jzgG04l
— Anthony Joshua (@anthonyjoshua) March 12, 2023
Should Joshua Retire if Defeated?
Much has been made of Joshua’s most recent performances, leading some to believe his time may have been and gone. Former British boxer Johnny Nelson even claimed AJ should call time on his career if he loses this weekend.
“If Anthony Joshua loses, he jacks it in. If he doesn’t jack it, he should jack it. Because it’s a hard mountain to climb.” There are a lot of unanswered questions surrounding Anthony Joshua. But one thing is for certain, he needs to beat Franklin, and he needs to do it in style.
