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<\/a>Both Jermaine Franklin and Jerry \u201cSlugger\u201d Forrest are predicting knockouts when the two heavyweights face off in the main event of ShoBox: The New Generation on Friday, July 12.<\/p>\nFranklin (18-0, 13 KOs) from Saginaw, Mich., and Forrest (25-2, 19 KOs), of Newport News, Va., will meet in the 10-round main event live on SHOWTIME (10 p.m. ET\/PT) from Emerald Queen Casino in Tacoma, Wash. Battle at the Boat 122 is presented by Salita Promotions and Brian Halquist Productions.<\/p>\n
In the co-featured bout, undefeated Swedish heavyweight and top-10 ranked contender Otto Wallin (20-0, 13 KOs) will battle former world title challenger BJ Flores (34-4-1, 21 KOs) in a 10-round clash. The opening bout of the tripleheader telecast will feature a matchup of undefeated featherweight prospects as Giovanni Mioletti (16-0, 7 KOs) faces off with Luis Porozo (14-0, 7 KOs).<\/p>\n
The 25-year-old Franklin, a 2014 National Golden Gloves Champion and widely regarded as the top American heavyweight prospect, says he\u2019ll be a different fighter against Forrest than the one who made his ShoBox debut with a unanimous decision over former No. 1-ranked U.S. amateur Rydell Booker last April.<\/p>\n
\u201cI learned to have more self-control and patience in that fight,\u201d said Franklin. \u201cBoxing is a tough sport and I think as a boxer, sometimes we try too hard to go for the knockout. I learned to stay patient, be calm, fight my fight and not rush things.\u201d<\/p>\n
Against Forrest, Franklin will be facing a more aggressive and less mobile style, which may be more suited to him than Booker\u2019s elusive counterpunching.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve seen some tape on Forrest and I know he\u2019s left-handed and throws a lot of looping punches,\u201d Franklin said. \u201cHe\u2019ll be right in front for me to hit. He seems very flat-footed, so I\u2019ll use angles against him. But I feel like I don\u2019t need a certain opponent to look good against. I took myself out of my last fight. I didn\u2019t show what I can do. I\u2019ll be more focused this time. I\u2019ve developed to another stage since then.\u201d<\/p>\n
Franklin says it\u2019s slowly sinking in that he\u2019s graduated to a main event fighter.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt just hit me two or three days ago that I\u2019m headlining my own card on SHOWTIME,\u201d said Franklin. \u201cFor a while it seemed unreal, but I don\u2019t want to get too excited, so I\u2019m trying to stay level-headed right now. I\u2019ve been doing a lot of weight training and resistance training and pushing past the limit. I do a full workout in the gym and then workout on something else for another hour. I\u2019m pushing past the limits of being tired to regain that second wind faster. I\u2019m learning how to work hard without emptying my gas tank.\u201d<\/p>\n
According to Franklin, if he uses all his tools the way he\u2019s supposed to, he\u2019ll walk away with another knockout on his record.<\/p>\n
\u201cI picture a knockout or TKO,\u201d Franklin said. \u201cI\u2019m not going to rush anything. I\u2019m just going to fight my fight, but I feel I can get the KO if I stay calm. It\u2019ll come. It\u2019s inevitable.<\/p>\n
The 31-year-old Forrest has won 18 consecutive fights and says this fight will show the world what he already knows: that he\u2019s a world-class heavyweight who was waiting for his big break.<\/p>\n
\u201cHonestly, it\u2019s kind of like the first chance for people to see what I\u2019ve already been doing for years,\u201d Forrest said. \u201cThe only difference is the cameras. It\u2019ll still be my fight. Just the world gets to see it. I can\u2019t wait to show on a national scale what I was capable of.\u201d<\/p>\n