Anthony Joshua returns to our screens to face Jermaine Franklin live on DAZN from the The O2 in London on Saturday April 1 at 2 pm ET.
Anthony Joshua is set to face Jermaine Franklin in a crucial heavyweight comeback fight on Saturday, April 1, 2023 at The O2 Arena in London. The former two-time unified champion is looking to bounce back from two consecutive losses to Oleksandr Usyk that cost him his belts and his undisputed dream. Joshua has changed trainers for the third time in less than a year, hoping that Derrick James can help him rediscover his form and confidence. Franklin, on the other hand, is aiming to pull off a huge upset and derail Joshua’s plans for a summer showdown with Tyson Fury.
JOSHUA VS. FRANKLIN FIGHT DATE & TIME
Date: Saturday, April 1
Time: 7 p.m. BST / 2 p.m. ET
Main event ringwalks (approx): 11 p.m. BST / 6 pm ET
The card will stream live on DAZN in over 200 countries across the globe (except Greece, Cyprus, Croatia, Slovenia, Serbia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Kosovo, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Armenia and Vietnam).
The fight takes place at the O2 Arena in London.
The main card is set to get underway at 7 p.m. BST / 2 p.m. ET with the main event ringwalks scheduled for 11 p.m. BST / 6 p.m. ET.
Franklin is not a household name in the heavyweight division, but he is a dangerous opponent who gave Dillian Whyte a tough test in his last fight. The American was unbeaten in 21 fights before losing a majority decision to Whyte in November 2022, despite hurting him several times and almost stopping him in the final round. Franklin has good power, speed and movement, and he will not be intimidated by Joshua’s reputation or size.
Joshua, however, has a lot more experience and quality than Franklin. He has faced and beaten some of the best heavyweights in the world, such as Wladimir Klitschko, Alexander Povetkin, Andy Ruiz Jr and Kubrat Pulev. He has also shown that he can adapt his style and strategy depending on the opponent and the situation. He can box from the outside, use his jab and footwork, or he can brawl on the inside, unleash his combinations and uppercuts. He also has a strong chin and heart, as he has proven by getting up from knockdowns and overcoming adversity.
The key for Joshua in this fight is to avoid complacency and overconfidence. He cannot afford to underestimate Franklin or take him lightly. He also cannot afford to make any mistakes or leave any openings for Franklin to exploit. He needs to be focused, disciplined and ruthless from the start to the finish. He needs to impose his will and dominance on Franklin, and not let him get any momentum or confidence. He needs to use his advantages in height, reach, power and skills to keep Franklin at bay, hurt him and finish him.
The prediction for this fight is that Joshua will win by knockout in the mid rounds. Franklin will try to make it a competitive and entertaining fight, but he will not be able to cope with Joshua’s pressure and power. Joshua will land some big shots that will stagger and drop Franklin, and the referee will stop the fight before he takes too much punishment. Joshua will then celebrate his return to winning ways and look forward to bigger challenges ahead.
Tickets for Joshua vs. Franklin are priced £40, £60, £80, £100, £150, £200, £300, £400 and £800 (VIP).
General Sale tickets can be purchased via Stage Front and AXS from midday on Thursday February 9.
