By Damola Emmanuel
In the countdown to what should have been a thriller in the O2 Arena in London, England, on Saturday, April 1, 2023, pundits had rated Anthony Joshua a hefty 12-1 favourite to win the fight.
He was tipped to win within the distance and probably knock his opponent, Jermaine Franklin, silly as he himself had predicted.
Yes, he threw enough punches to keep victory assured within his gloves, Saturday night at the O2 Arena, the power punches that made him world champion were scanty. In fact, a boxing analyst, Simisola Kamson, who monitored the fight from Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, said Joshua was somewhat casual and stingy with killer punches.
Writing on his Twitter handle and quoted by www.bleacherreport.com, another analyst tossed the coin and opined that Jermaine Franklin was the “busier boxer”, as he fought the former Champion with an uncanny familiarity and confidence, closing the range most times to get at Joshua.
But Joshua was not under any severe pressure as he threw enough punches to stay strong on the winning lane. Overall, Kevin Lole, another commentator on Twitter, said Joshua had a great night. “…This is by NO MEANS a great performance,” he tweeted.
However, the superb confidence with which Franklin frankly fought Joshua could be located in the fact the he had been the ex-Champion’s sparring partner. So, he was with a familiar customer; slugging it out on a familiar terrain.
Despite the impressive showing by Franklin, it was Anthony Joshua that triumphed in the end. He won the fight with a unanimous decision, as all three judges scored him- 118-111, 117-111, 117-111 respectively.
Though Joshua won, boxing buffs, even some of his fans still believe that his current form may make him vulnerable if he meets either Tyson Fury or Deontay Wilder, the two boxers that his fans seriously want him to fight next.
But Joshua’s die-hard supporters do not agree that the situation was that bad inside the O2 Arena in London, Saturday night. Indeed, they applaud their hero for what they think was a great night, maintaining that Joshua still has the spark and fire to beat Tyson or Wilder the next time they meet.
