Huge void left to be filled despite the Nigerian-Born fighter’s easy win in London tonight
By Ed Emeanua
British heavyweight fighter Anthony Joshua easily outpointed American challenger Jermaine Franklin this evening at the O2 Arena London by unanimous decision but it was obvious something is missing in AJ’s game.
Despite it being glaring that the Jermaine Franklin of this world are not in the same league with the Olegsander Usyk and Tyson Fury of contemporary heavyweight boxing, but it appeared at times in this fight that the American journeyman boxer might just be in the same class with former unified world heavyweight champion, Joshua, as both men settled their milieu, Saturday night.
The scorecards at the end of the fray read, 118-111, 117-111, and 117-111 all for Joshua, but there remains doubts about the British fighter’s readiness to take his game up a notch to face stiffer oppositions in Usyk, the Ukrainian fighter who beat him back to back and fellow British heavyweight bomber, Fury, who has been lying in waiting behind Joshua shadows.
This is how I know Joshua doesn’t let his hands go anymore. The first thing he did when they got into it after the bell is grab an hold, come onnnnnn AJ lol #JoshuaFranklin pic.twitter.com/7bFSGomWK6
— Hans Themistode (@themistode) April 1, 2023
Watch this wild scene at the end of the encounter
Give it up to Franklin, he tried his best, but his best ends just here, while Joshua’s must progress. For the victor of this talent tryout however, much is expected if his performance tonight is used as a yardstick for important bouts that awaits his future boxing endeavors.
“If that was a knockout… It’s important to get the win,” Joshua said moments after the fight.
“Someone else will knock him out, probably. From Britain, I reckon. Jermaine has got a good duck and dive style. There was opportunity there, but he knew how to tuck up, respect to him, he’s done well. Well done to him and his team for preparing. I should have knocked him out, but what can I say now? It’s done. On to the next,” Joshua said when asked if he wanted to knock Franklin out.
“I know who the fans want. I would 100 percent be honored to compete for the WBC heavyweight championship of the world [against current champion Tyson Fury],” Joshua said in response to the question who he wants to fight next.”
