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Anthony Joshua On Recovery Mission Against Franklin

Former unified Heavyweight World Champion, Anthony Joshua, is back in action in April when he takes on American boxer Jermaine Franklin. It will be his first appearance in the ring since losing to Oleksandr Usyk for the second successive fight in 2022.

Joshua now has a professional record of 24-3. As well as two defeats to Usyk, he was beaten on his sole appearance in the United States when Andy Ruiz Jr stopped him in the seventh round of their contest back in 2019.


The upcoming bout with Franklin is an important one for Joshua if he is to get his career back on track and put himself in title contention once again. A defeat in London would put him a step further backward.

This fight will be the first time that Joshua has boxed without a world title being on the line since he took on fellow British boxer Dillian Whyte in December 2015.

Joshua Long Favorite in Betting

With the explosive power he possesses in the ring, Joshua is popular around the world, not just in the UK, but also in the USA where there is likely to be a lot of interest in this upcoming bout. The British boxer has 22 victories by KO or TKO in his professional career, which is why he is such a box office fighter.

Franklin has yet to be stopped inside the distance in his professional career, so this will be a tough test for Joshua. The man from Michigan has often fought in Ohio where he too has shown his power. Three of his four victories in the state have been stoppages, including a first-round knockout against Danny Calhoun.

Joshua is as short as -1400 in the betting to get his career back on track with success. Franklin, on the other hand, is +600 with boxing sportsbooks in Ohio to cause an upset. Those looking to back the American boxer may be able to pick up a promotion for signing up for a new account. For example, DraftKings sportsbook is offering a ‘$5, get $200’ offer to new customers. The bet credits earned can be used on the Joshua-Franklin card.

With sports betting now legal in Ohio, those betting on the fight in the state can also follow the live odds which will available during the bout. If Franklin makes a good start to the fight, his odds are likely to shorten as the contest goes on.

Franklin Comes into Fight on The Back of Defeat Too

Like Joshua, Franklin also heads into this heavyweight fight on the back of a defeat. The man from Michigan suffered the first loss of his career when he was beaten by Whyte at Wembley Arena back in November. The judges handed the decision to the home fighter by mixed decision, a result which was controversial as many pundits felt the American boxer had done enough to prevail.

Before the loss to Whyte, Franklin won 21 consecutive fights in the ring to establish himself as one of the brightest prospects in North America. He had wins over Rydell Booker, Pavel Sour, and Rodney Moore during that sequence of victories, with the latter coming after a fifth-round stoppage.

Franklin will be hoping to push into the top 10 of many of the heavyweight ratings. Victory over Joshua may help him do that, while at the same time, he may be able to demand a shot at either Usyk or Tyson Fury later in 2023.

Joshua and Franklin are set to headline the card at the O2 Arena in London on April 1. The leading fighters in the heavyweight division will have their eyes on the fight to see if Joshua can put on a performance that suggests he remains a big force in the ring.