Jermaine Franklin was unanimously defeated by Anthony Joshua
On Saturday night, Anthony Joshua, a Nigerian-British boxer, returned to the ring at London’s O2 Arena and emerged victorious over American boxer Jermaine Franklin in a resounding manner.
Joshua, a former world champion, dominated the fight throughout the 12 rounds, winning unanimously. The three judges scored the bout 118-111, 117-111, and 117-111 in favor of Joshua, reflecting his absolute control over the match.
This triumph marks Joshua’s first win since 2020 when he faced two consecutive defeats from Ukrainian boxer Oleksandr Usyk. Usyk beat Joshua in September 2021, and Joshua suffered another defeat at Usyk’s hands in August 2022.
On December 13, 2020, Joshua secured his last victory against Bulgaria’s Kubrat Pulev, before facing off against Franklin in a tough boxing match where both fighters landed punches and jabs. Nonetheless, Joshua emerged as the winner, denying Franklin his 25th career win and starting his journey towards becoming a three-time world heavyweight champion.
Following his win, Joshua expressed his willingness to fight for the WBC Heavyweight Championship of the World and called out Tyson Fury to take up the challenge. His promoter, Eddie Hearn, also shared his enthusiasm for a potential fight against Fury or Deontay Wilder.
With this win, Joshua’s professional record now stands at 25-3, placing him in a promising position for future bouts.