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Former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua is struggling to come to terms with losing his world titles after more than five years of being on top. His defeat at the hands of Oleksandr Usyk, however, has not dampened his spirit, as the former Olympic gold medalist has opted for an immediate rematch to regain his title. Despite his improvements, Joshua (24-3, 22 KOs) was unable to solve the riddle posed by his skillful Ukrainian rival, leading to a unanimous decision loss.
Now, as Joshua begins his journey to reclaim his position, the 33-year-old has set his sights on taking down Jermaine Franklin to make a statement. The two heavyweight fighters are scheduled to meet on April 1st at the O2 Arena in the UK, where they will engage in a fiery battle in the ring.
With his legacy on the line, Joshua is expected to bring his best game to the upcoming fight. He is determined to prove himself and regain his position at the top of the heavyweight division. Franklin, on the other hand, is eager to continue his unbeaten streak and make a name for himself by taking down the former champion.
The upcoming bout between Joshua and Franklin is poised to be a thrilling match, with both fighters bringing unique skill sets and styles to the ring. As the date draws nearer, fans and pundits alike eagerly anticipate the fight, eager to see who will emerge victorious.
“I’m serious, focused, locked in,” said Joshua during a recent presser to a group of reporters. “It’s a serious fight, good opponent, I respect all of my opponents.”
Generally speaking, Franklin's chance to compete against Joshua is his second opportunity to do so. On November 26, just a few short months ago, the American challenger faced off against Dillian Whyte. Franklin (21-1, 14 KOs) was in shock as Whyte was awarded a somewhat contentious majority decision triumph after 12 sweat-inducing rounds.
Nevertheless, Franklin has promised to step it up before his matchup with Joshua in defiance of his recent setbacks. But the evil puncher from Watford, Hertfordshire, in the United Kingdom, has no plans to lower his defense.
The former unified champion finds his fight against Franklin to be a little strange as he continues to iron out the kinks in his technique with new trainer Derrick James. Each of Joshua's fights since 2016 has at least one heavyweight championship on the line. This time, none of the coveted prizes in the heavyweight category will be up for grabs.
Still, regardless of where he currently stands, Joshua will not allow Franklin’s lack of a heavyweight title dictate his motivational levels come fight night.
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