Boxing

Victorious But Not Happy – Anthony Joshua Keeps Briton’s Heavyweight Championship Hopes Alive!

By James KoenNo Comments14 Mins Read

Anthony Joshua made a comeback by winning against Jermaine Franklin through a unanimous decision in London last Saturday. He dominated the fight but failed to deliver an early explosive finish. Anthony Joshua vs Jermaine Franklin results in judges scoring 117-111 and 118-111 in favour of Joshua.

This is his first win in more than two years, following his consecutive losses to Oleksandr Usyk. But the action continued even after the bell as both fighters and their teams clashed when the fight ended.

In the co-main event, Fabio Wardley and Michael Coffie fought for the vacant WBA Continental Championship in the heavyweight category. The Joshua vs. Franklin fight was aired live on DAZN for subscribers, with the main card starting at 2 PM ET/11 AM PT.

Anthony Joshua vs Jermaine Franklin Results

  • Main Event-Heavyweight 12-Round Bout: Anthony Joshua def. Jermaine Franklin via unanimous decision (118-111, 117-111×2)
  • Co-Main Event– Vacant WBA Continental Heavyweight Championship 10-Round Bout: Fabio Wardley def. Michael Coffie via TKO: R4, 0:45
  • Flyweight 10-Round Bout Galal Yafai def. Moises Calleros via TKO: R4, 0:44
  • Lightweight 8-Round Bout: Campbell Hatton def. Louis Fielding via KO: R1, 1:29
  • Middleweight 10-Round Bout: Austin Williams def. River Wilson-Bent via TKO(Retirement):R8, 1:01
  • John Hedges def. Daniel Bocianski PTS
  • Ziyad Almaayouf def. Georgi Velichkov PTS
  • Jordan Flynn def. Kane Barker PTS
  • Benoit Huber def. Juergen Uldedaj PTS
  • Peter Kadiru def. Alen Lauriolle RTD

Anthony Joshua vs Jermaine Franklin Highlights

Before the fight titled New Dawn, Anthony Joshua aimed to impress with a knockout, which has made him a boxing icon. Meanwhile, Jermaine Franklin wanted to upset the odds and defeat the superstar. Despite coming off a loss against Dillian Whyte, Franklin had finished 14 of his 21 professional fights.

With new trainer Derrick James guiding him, Joshua focused on using his mighty right hand and probing Franklin with jabs in the first round. Franklin attempted to counter this by establishing his own jab, but whenever he went on the offensive, Joshua capitalized by targeting his body with well-timed shots.

Throughout the middle rounds, Joshua’s right hand became increasingly prominent. And although his punches landed, Franklin remained on his feet, reminiscent of his bout with Dillian Whyte the previous year.

Franklin deserves credit for surpassing most fans’ expectations, who predicted he wouldn’t last beyond six rounds against the former unified world champion.

In heavyweight boxing, stamina is crucial. Despite shedding considerable weight for the fight, Franklin showed fatigue from the eighth round onwards, leading to a somewhat untidy finish.

Franklin tried to keep the fight at close range through numerous clinches. This tactic appeared effective until Joshua landed another right uppercut in the tenth round.

The O2 Arena crowd buzzed with anticipation during the final two rounds, all too familiar with Joshua’s signature finishes and hoping their support would give him the boost needed for an early end.

However, the fight continued to the judges’ scorecards, resulting in two scores of 117-111 and one of 118-111 in favour of the British fighter.

Anthony Joshua vs Jermaine Franklin Round-by-Round Coverage

Joshua executed his strategy effectively, using his height advantage to chip away at Franklin. The British fighter will appreciate this victory over a formidable opponent like Franklin, who, despite losing, can take pride in standing up to the champ without being intimidated or overwhelmed.

Franklin Makes His Way In

This is a pivotal moment for Jermaine Franklin, the most significant event of his career. His impressive performance against Dillian Whyte has revitalized his boxing journey, bringing him to The O2. In the best shape of his life, he’s ready to disrupt AJ’s comeback.

Dressed in black, except for the white straps on his gloves, Franklin enters the ring. As he does so, AJ appears on the big screen, eliciting thunderous cheers from the audience.

AJ Sets the Crowd Ablaze

The two-time world champion makes his entrance. The fight is on.

Dressed in white with red gloves and his hood up, Joshua approaches the ring, looking as relaxed as he has been all week.

Anthony Joshua vs Jermaine Franklin Round 1

The opening round is tense, with Jermaine Franklin appearing busier than Anthony Joshua. However, Joshua lands a good combination before the bell. And he’s probing with his left hand. It’s a close round, but Joshua may have edged it.

Anthony Joshua vs Jermaine Franklin Round 2

Joshua’s corner urges him to throw more right-hand punches, which he does, and they land. Franklin taunts Joshua by sticking his tongue out and shaking his head. Joshua responds by getting back behind his jab and lands a stiff left hand.

Franklin reminds Joshua that he’s still there by stringing together a few shots. Joshua’s nose is now bleeding. But he has a much better round, and he may be two rounds up.

Anthony Joshua vs Jermaine Franklin Round 3

Jermaine Franklin starts the round with a flurry, and his corner urges him to throw more right hands. Joshua tries to open up, but Franklin is keeping him honest. Franklin may have shaded this messier round.

Anthony Joshua vs Jermaine Franklin Round 4

Franklin looks for back-to-back jabs early in the round and enjoys the better of the round. Joshua is looking hesitant to trade. And the American could have shaded that round as he did the third.

Anthony Joshua vs Jermaine Franklin Round 5

Joshua needs to respond, and he does with a brilliant right hand that lands directly on Franklin’s chin. However, Franklin responds by bounding forward and swinging, which must be dispiriting for Joshua. Joshua works the body and ends the round by clinging on to Franklin after the American darted forward. It’s a better round for Joshua, but Franklin looks at home.

Anthony Joshua vs Jermaine Franklin Round 6

Franklin’s putting in the effort, but it’s questionable if he has the necessary skills. AJ’s being cautious and boxing effectively. Franklin lands a few shots this round. But Joshua’s sticking to his winning formula of jabs and power shots.

Anthony Joshua vs Jermaine Franklin Round 7

Joshua comes close to landing a big left hook in the seventh round, but Franklin is able to avoid it. Joshua’s jab is landing more frequently now, and Franklin is starting to take a lot of punishment. Joshua lands another straight right hand before the bell, and the two fighters exchange words.

Anthony Joshua vs Jermaine Franklin Round 8

Joshua has a strong start to the eighth round, landing a big right hand that forces Franklin to stagger back. Franklin is starting to tire, spending much of the round trying to hold onto Joshua and wrestle. The round ends with Joshua still dominating the fight.

Anthony Joshua vs Jermaine Franklin Round 9

Franklin attempts to tie Joshua up at every opportunity in the ninth round, causing the referee to intervene. Franklin lands a big right hand that causes concern in the arena, but Joshua is able to recover quickly.

Anthony Joshua vs Jermaine Franklin Round 10

Joshua lands a huge uppercut in the tenth round that rocks Franklin. Franklin ties him up, but Joshua is able to land a big right hand and a left hook before the end of the round.

Anthony Joshua vs Jermaine Franklin Round 11

Joshua lands a superb body shot in the eleventh round that causes the crowd to go wild. Franklin is winded, but he continues to swing. Joshua picks him off with his jab and seems to be in complete control of the fight.

Anthony Joshua vs Jermaine Franklin Round 12

In the final round, Franklin targets Joshua’s body, but Joshua lands a big right hand that hurts him. Franklin manages to hold on and frustrate Joshua for the rest of the round. The fight ends with both fighters throwing wildly, but the bell rings before anyone can land a decisive blow. Joshua is declared the winner by a unanimous decision.

Anthony Joshua vs Jermaine Franklin Punching Stats

A comparison of Anthony Joshua and Jermaine Franklin’s punch stats has been unveiled. Surprisingly, Franklin outpunched the British fighter. Yet, Joshua’s accuracy gave him the edge.

CompuBox data reveals Joshua launched 376 punches, a notable 50 less than Franklin’s 426. Despite that, he landed 31{317a7769e272dec17b69bda26c6a5a4c5e6799efcd8a85f72cb552b76862c2b9} of them, connecting with Franklin 117 times.

In contrast, Franklin only struck Joshua 58 times – nearly half as much. Joshua outperformed Franklin in punch volume in merely the ninth and 12th rounds.

Joshua vs Franklin Continues … And Ends with an Apology!

The night’s most intense moment happened post-fight when Joshua nearly instigated a massive brawl with Franklin’s team. Security intervened, and even Tony Bellew attempted to join the fray.

Women’s IBF bantamweight world champion Ebanie Bridges commented that the scuffle was more thrilling than the fight itself, tweeting:

“That final altercation after the bell was more exciting than the fight.”

Anthony Joshua later apologised for his role in the heated exchange following his match with Jermaine Franklin. In a post-fight interview, AJ expressed his gratitude for the audience and acknowledged the different energy within the ring while apologizing to those watching. He also thanked Franklin, Eddie Hearn, and the fans.

AJ said:

“Last time I grabbed the mic, it was a bit chaotic. I’m calm; I appreciate everyone coming out this evening.

“Inside the ring, it is a different energy, so I apologise to those watching.”

“I respect Jermaine, Eddie [Hearn], thank you for this opportunity. Fans, thank you as well.

“It was important to win. Jermaine has a good duck-and-dive style. Somebody else from Britain will probably knock him out. Respect to him, he did well.

“I should have knocked him out, but it is done. On to the next.

“He is here to prove himself, not roll over. I wish I could have knocked him out.”

 AJ Happy with the Win, Not the Performance

Anthony Joshua critiqued his own performance, confessing his desire for a knockout.

“No knockout, so no good. It is a brutal sport, but knockouts are everything. I’m not too happy,”

AJ said.

“I could have thrown more shots, and I should have, no excuses. But I will. That is part of coming back; you have to be your own biggest critic. If you want to progress, you can’t say that was brilliant and chill out.

“Franklin is a decent counter-puncher; the right hand wasn’t landing; that is one of my best shots but we will build.

“He is here to prove himself, not roll over. I wish I could have knocked him out.”

“Whatever my coach wants to work on, we’ll work on. I don’t want to put pressure on Derrick; everything that happens in the ring is on me. If you want to be a fighter, you have to deal with the pressure.”

‘The ball is in Fury’s court,’ Joshua Calls Out Fury

In a post-fight conversation with DAZN, Joshua discussed his future plans: 

“I try and provide for the fans. I know who they want. They said Tyson Fury; the ball is in his court. I would be honoured to fight for the WBC Heavyweight Championship of the World. If he’s listening, he knows my promoter; we’ve had dialogue before, so let’s continue this. We ain’t getting any younger.”

He seemed to poke fun at Fury by imitating him holding a camera, speaking into it, and then mimicking his voice.

He said:

“You don’t beat Tyson Fury in a verbal contest.”

He then lifted a phone camera high and took a swipe at Fury’s gesturing.

He added:

“Jimmy I’m calling you out tomorrow to come and fight me at Croxdale Park.

“What does he do everyday on the internet?

“(In lower voice) 70-30, you rabbit.”

Franklin Loses the Match, Not the Hopes of Championship

Following his tough defeat to Anthony Joshua, Jermaine Franklin spoke up. However, the “989 Assassin” was far from satisfied with his performance against the prominent British boxer.

He tweeted:

“To fans/sponsor. I didn’t fight the fight I planned on fighting.

“One dream for @james_taylor_archy_ was made last night and my dream of being champ is on hold briefly. I learned so much last night. I will be back. Thank you UK fans.”

How the World Reacts to AJ’s Comeback Fight

Though we see mixed reactions from a ton of people looking forward to AJ’s comeback bout, the majority of them seem not so happy with how he won.

Whyte Cans AJ Comeback

Dillian Whyte expressed disappointment in AJ’s comeback, providing his analysis of the fight.

He further said:

“I didn’t think he looked particularly good tonight. He looked apprehensive.

“Any time Franklin made a feint like he was going to hit him, he was very apprehensive.”

Joe Joyce Believes AJ Won’t Last 12 Rounds with Him

Joe Joyce, a heavyweight contender, posted an image on Instagram suggesting he doesn’t think Joshua could last 12 rounds against him. Joyce is eyeing a high-profile match against Joshua, the former two-time world champion who defeated Jermaine Franklin on Saturday.

Froch Questions AJ’s Motivation

Carl Froch questioned Anthony Joshua’s dedication to the sport. He doubts his ability to regain his former status, sharing his thoughts on BBC Radio 5Live:

“In the ring at world title level, he’s been there, done the business. And now I don’t know. What motivates him?

“We talked about it, he wants the money. I don’t understand why he’s fighting. I just don’t.

“It’s a dangerous sport. Money can’t be the motivation when you’ve earned over £100m.

“I’ve not seen anything in that performance that he wants to be a world champion again.”

Carl Frampton Sounds Positive

Carl Frampton, however, found positives in Joshua’s full 12-round match with Franklin, noting the influence of his new coach Derrick James.

Frampton tweeted:

“If there’s confidence issues over his engine, going the distance in a reasonably high paced fight will do him the world of good.

“He looked to be punching at the target rather than through it. 2 weeks off, then straight back to Texas with Derek James. Good win.”

Teddy Remains Unimpressed

Legendary boxing coach and Hall of Famer Teddy Atlas remained unimpressed by Joshua’s victory over Franklin.

He tweeted:

“No change in Joshua with new trainer, he’s a typical English style fighter, very picturesque, but you can hit him standing talk.”

Hearn on AJ v Franklin

Eddie Hearn also weighed in on AJ’s performance during the fight against Franklin.

Speaking to DAZN after the fight, he said:

“Good 12 rounds under Derrick James. Everyone wants him to be a bit more aggressive in that fight.

“Franklin is a tough style for him, we knew that, took some good shots as well.

“[I] Thought he closed the fight very well, started throwing MORE punches, especially more combinations as well.

“Coming off those two defeats his career was on the line. Everyone expects him to steamroll Franklin but he’s a good fighter and I’m pleased he got the 12 rounds and I think people will be up for fighting him.

“They’ll think he’s still showing some signs of weakness. He took some good shots but I thought his defence was good. [I would] Like to see him be a bit more aggressive.

“But with what was on the line, very happy to be back in the summer with another big fight.”

Anthony Joshua vs Jermaine Franklin Fight Card Highlights and Results

  • Main Event-Heavyweight 12-Round Bout: Anthony Joshua def. Jermaine Franklin via unanimous decision (118-111, 117-111×2)
  • Co-Main Event– Vacant WBA Continental Heavyweight Championship 10-Round Bout: Fabio Wardley def. Michael Coffie via TKO: R4, 0:45
  • Flyweight 10-Round Bout Galal Yafai def. Moises Calleros via TKO: R4, 0:44
  • Lightweight 8-Round Bout: Campbell Hatton def. Louis Fielding via KO: R1, 1:29
  • Middleweight 10-Round Bout: Austin Williams def. River Wilson-Bent via TKO(Retirement):R8, 1:01
  • John Hedges def. Daniel Bocianski PTS
  • Ziyad Almaayouf def. Georgi Velichkov PTS
  • Jordan Flynn def. Kane Barker PTS
  • Benoit Huber def. Juergen Uldedaj PTS
  • Peter Kadiru def. Alen Lauriolle RTD

This concludes the tale of the eventful night that saw the return of Anthony Joshua, RDX Sports’ ex-ambassador. And rest assured, we’ll continue to bring you more on how his career moves from here.

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