Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Sport
Alex Pattle

Who is Jermaine Franklin? Anthony Joshua’s opponent for comeback fight

Getty Images
Can Anthony Joshua fight his way back to the top of boxing? | You Ask The Questions

Follow live updates as Anthony Joshua fights Jermaine Franklin in London tonight, with the British heavyweight looking to get back to winning ways.

Joshua, 33, last achieved a win in 2020 and has since suffered back-to-back defeats by Oleksandr Usyk, but tonight he aims to reignite his career. The Ukrainian took the unified heavyweight titles from “AJ” with a decision win in 2021 before retaining the belts with another points victory over Joshua last August, leaving the former Olympic champion to switch up his trainer in pursuit of a morale-boosting performance.

Meanwhile, American Franklin enters London’s O2 Arena on the back of a controversial loss to Dillian Whyte – the first defeat of the 29-year-old’s career. Franklin suffered a majority-decision loss to Whyte in the English capital in November, when the winner was set to be rewarded with a fight against Joshua. Despite his defeat, and with many believing he had done enough to win, Franklin was paired with AJ anyway.

Can the American secure the biggest victory of his career? Or will Joshua take the first step back towards a world-title fight? Find out with our live updates below, following our coverage of the undercard fights.

Click here to subscribe to The Independent’s Sport YouTube channel for all the latest sports videos.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.