Anthony Joshua vs Jermaine Franklin

Anthony Joshua vs Jermaine Franklin, billed as New Dawn was a heavyweight boxing match contested between former two-time unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua and Jermaine Franklin.[2][3][4] The bout was held at the O2 Arena in Greenwich, London.[2][3][4]

New Dawn
Date1 April 2023
VenueThe O2 Arena, London, England
Tale of the tape
Boxer Anthony Joshua Jermaine Franklin
Nickname AJ 989 Assassin
Hometown Watford, Hertfordshire, England Saginaw, Michigan, US
Pre-fight record 24–3 (22 KOs) 21–1 (14 KOs)[1]
Age 33 29
Height 6 ft 6 in (198 cm) 6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Weight 255 lb (116 kg) 234 lb (106 kg)
Style Orthodox Orthodox
Recognition Former 2 time unified heavyweight champion IBF No. 13 ranked heavyweight
Result
Joshua wins via 12–round unanimous decision (118–111, 117–111, 117–111)

Background

Following Joshua's back-to-back losses to Oleksandr Usyk, the latter in August of 2022 in Saudi Arabia, Tyson Fury called out Anthony Joshua for a fight in November or December of that same year. However, the fight failed to come to fruition, due to sponsorship issues. Franklin fought Dillian Whyte at Wembley Arena in London, England on November 26, 2022. Whyte won by majority decision, although the decision of that fight was controversial with many scoring the fight as a draw or for Franklin winning.

On 6 February 2023, it was officially announced that Joshua would be returning to the ring on 1 April at The O2 Arena against Franklin. The fight would mark the first fight as part of his exclusive five-year deal with sports streaming service DAZN.

In the first pre-fight press conference on 9 February, Joshua announced his new partnership with American trainer Derrick James, as well as being questioned by his promoter Eddie Hearn on his motivation for fighting. Joshua answered by repeatedly stating, "Money, money, money", before Hearn had finished asking the question, before further elaborating: “I like making money. Straight up. Like, this is a prize fighting sport."

Fight card
Weight Class vs. Method Round Time Notes
Main Card
Heavyweight Anthony Joshua def. Jermaine Franklin UD 12/12
Heavyweight Fabio Wardley def. Michael Polite Coffie TKO 4/10 0:45 Note 1
Flyweight Galal Yafai def. Moisés Calleros TKO 4/10 0:44
Welterweight Campbell Hatton def. Louis Fielding KO 1/8 1:29
Middleweight Austin Williams def. River Wilson-Bent TKO 8/10 1:01
Before The Bell Preliminary Card
Light heavyweight John Hedges def. Daniel Bocianski PTS 8/8
Super featherweight Ziyad Almaayouf def. Georgi Velichkov PTS 4/4
Super featherweight Jordan Flynn def. Kane Baker PTS 8/8
Cruiserweight Benoit Huber def. Juergen Uldedaj PTS 8/8
Heavyweight Peter Kadiru def. Alen Lauriolle RTD 1/4 3:00

^Note 1 For WBA Continental heavyweight title

References
  1. "Jermaine Franklin - News, Record & Stats, Next Fight & Tickets".
  2. "Joshua to face Franklin in comeback fight". BBC Sport.
  3. Media, P. A. (6 February 2023). "Anthony Joshua hits comeback trail against Jermaine Franklin in April". The Guardian.
  4. "Anthony Joshua announces Jermaine Franklin comeback fight for the O2 Arena on April 1". Sky Sports.
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