Anthony Joshua Outpoints Jermaine Franklin in Cautious 12 Round Tactical Bout
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
London, UK (April 2nd, 2023)– Former world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua, after a seven month absence in the ring, returned and won a 12 round unanimous decision over Jermaine Franklin in a cautiously boxed tactical bout at 02 Arena in Greenwich, United Kingdom, on Saturday evening, April 1, 2023, with new trainer Derrick James in his corner. It was the first win for Joshua in 16 months, since he knocked out world title challenger Kubrat Pulev in the ninth round at Wembley Arena in December 2020.
Joshua, age 33, 25-3 with 22 knockouts, Watford Hertfordshire, United Kingdom, took a decidedly strategically muted approach as the 10:1 betting line favorite in this bout. Joshua simply used his height, reach and overall size advantage to outbox Franklin in center ring. At 6’6″ with an 82 inches reach, Joshua enjoyed a four inch height and five inch reach advantage. Using carefully placed head shots, body shots and uppercuts, Joshua controlled the ring and the tempo in center ring.
Franklin, 21-2 with 14 knockouts, Saginaw, Michigan, visually looked like a Bermane Stiverne clone fighting Deontay Wilder fighting in their first confrontation t MGM Grand’s Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas in January 2015, won by Wilder in a 12 round decision, Wilder’s lone decision win to date. Wilder could not do anything with the crisp defense Stiverne at that point in Stiverne’s career, so Wilder simply outpointed him, winning most rounds. In this confrontation, Joshua won nine of the twelve rounds on all there judges’ scorecards, and Joshua appeared to win the first seven rounds and the bout outright from the start, and then just coasted to the win for the second half of the bout defensively without taking any significant chances with an opponent who lost a 12 round majority decision to Dillian Whyte.
Both fighters were holding after throwing a punch or two, making way for a long night for spirited referee Marcus McDonnell. Joshua does not appear to be the next opponent for Oleksandr Usyk, with number one contender Daniel Dubois, the WBA regular champion, apparently next. This could mean Joshua could fight Tyson Fury next, or Joy Joyce, or Deontay Wilder, Dillian Whyte, or Derek Chisora, or whatever Joshua and Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn want to do. Joshua versus Franklin was an “I’m back!” bout for Joshua, having lost three of his previous four world title bouts. This was a rare nontitle bout for Joshua, meant to put Joshua back in the heavyweight mix. For Joshua to remain in that mix, he must remain active, and hopefully will fight again in the next few months if Eddie Hearn can put another challenging bout together for him.
Result: Anthony Joshua Win 12 Jermaine Franklin, Heavyweights
Scoring: 117-111, 117-111, 117-111 Joshua. Referee: Marcus McDonnell. Clean bout.
02 Arena Greenwich Undercard Results
Fabio Wardley TKO 4 Michael Polite Coffie, Heavyweights (0:45)
16-0 Top 25 heavyweight contender Wardley wins vacant World Boxing Association Continental Heavyweight title. Controversial stoppage, with Wardley landing a flurry of punches on the 13-4 Coffie in a corner. Referee Howard Foster stopped it but Coffie protested, claiming he was able to continue. Referee’s call.
Galal Yafai TKO 4 Moises Callero, Flyweights
2016 British Flyweight southpaw Olympian Yafai now 4-0, worthy of better opposition than Mexico’s washed up 48 bout veteran Callero, a former two-time world title challenger.
Austin Williams TKO 8 Austin River-Bent, Super Middleweights (1:01)
14-0 Texas southpaw middleweight Williams had Great Britain’s 14-3 River-Bent down in seventh round. River-Bent corner threw in the towel in the eighth round, ending contest.
Benoit Huber Win 8 Juergen Uldedaj, Heavyweights
Surprise! Switzerland’s 9-3 Huber upsets 15-0 Albanian German heavyweight prospect Uldedaj by a score of 77-75 on Howard Foster’s scorecard. The last round does count, folks.
Jordan Flynn Win 8 Kane Baker, Super Featherweights
Undefeated 9-0 Oxfordshire British prospect Flynn gets taken eight round distance by 29 bout Birmingham vet Baker. Referee Kieran McCann scored it 77-75 Flynn. It wasn’t easy.
John Hedges Win 8 Jordan Bocianski, Light heavyweights
Southpaw ‘Gentleman John’, 8-0, wins every round on Kieran McCann scorecard 80-72.
Campbell Hatton KO 1 Louis Fielding, Lightweights (1:29)
Lightweight son of Ricky Hatton goes to 10-0. Body shot sent Fielding down for ten count.
Peter Kadiru Referee’s Technical Decision 1 Alan Lauriolle, Heavyweights
15-1 Hamburg Germany heavyweight Kadiru wins as 6-3 Macadonian Alan Lauriolle remains on his stool and does not answer the bell for round two.
Ziyad Almaayouf Win 4 Georgi Velichkov, Welterweights
Saudi Arabian prospect 4-0 Almaayouf decisions 3-13 Bulgarian journeyman Velichkov. Opening bout on 10 bout Anthony Joshua versus Jermaine Franklin Eddie Hearn card. Scoring: referee Howard Foster 39-37 for Almaayouf.