After suffering a defeat at the hands of Oleksandr Usyk in August, Anthony Joshua makes his return to the boxing ring tonight. Anthony Joshua is going to compete against Jermaine Franklin on Saturday at a weight that is a career high for him, as he weighed in at 255.4 pounds on Friday afternoon.
The former champion hopes that the additional weight will assist him in making a statement on Saturday and trying to register his first win since his fight against Kubrat Pulev in December 2020.
Franklin, on the other hand, has lost 23 pounds since his loss on points to Dillian Whyte in November 2022. As he took the platform, Franklin was visibly leaner in the torso and face due to this change. He came in at a weight of just more than 234 pounds.
The fact that Franklin has lost weight clearly indicates the strategy he intends to use for the fight on Saturday. The American will attempt to equal Joshua’s output, with the British heavyweight being made to work 40 per cent more in his second fight against Usyk than in any of his prior battles. This will be the American’s first fight against a heavyweight.
Best Free Bets For The Fight
Ahead of this weekend’s major fight between Anthony Joshua and Jermaine Franklin, we’ve rounded up the best betting offers available.
Anthony Joshua Record and Bio
- Nationality: British
- Date of birth: October 15, 1989
- Height: 6′ 6″
- Reach: 82″
- Total fights: 27
- Record: 24-3 (22 KOs)
Jermaine Franklin Record and Bio
- Nationality: American
- Date of birth: October 21, 1993
- Height: 6′ 2″
- Reach: 77″
- Total fights: 22
- Record: 21-1 (14 KOs)
Joshua v Franklin Undercard
| Fight | Division |
|---|---|
| Peter Kadiru v Hueseyin Akdemir | Heavyweight |
| Ziyad Almaayouf v TBA | Welterweight |
| Juergen Uldedaj v Michael Webster | Cruiserweight |
| Jordan Flynn v Kane Barker | Lightweight |
| John Hedges v Daniel Bocianski | Light heavyweight |
| Campbell Hatton v Louis Fielding | Super lightweight |
| Austin Williams v River Wilson-Brent | Middleweight |
| Matteo Signani v Felix Cash | EBU European Middleweight title |
| Fabio Wardley v Michael Polite Coffie | Heavyweight |
Joshua v Franklin UK Start Time
On Saturday, April 1, the fight between Joshua and Franklin is scheduled to take place at the O2 Arena. Ring walks for the main event are set to begin at 10:40 p.m. BST.
Where To Watch The Fight
The fight will be streamed Live On DAZN, and boxing fans in the United Kingdom and Ireland have another option for subscribing to DAZN; they can do so by tuning into Sky channel 429.
Joshua vs Franklin Odds
- Anthony Joshua: 1/14
- Jermaine Franklin: 8/1
- Draw: 25/1
(All odds via William Hill as of Friday, 31st March, odds subject to change between then and the fight.)
Odds correct at the time of publishing. Available to UK residents (excluding Northern Ireland) aged 18+ only. T&Cs apply. www.begambleaware.org
