Fringe heavyweight contender Jermaine Franklin 21-1 (14) has questioned the resume of Anthony Joshua 24-3 (22) ahead of their clash at the O2 Arena in London, England on April 1.
American Franklin, 29, put up a good show in his last bout against Dillian Whyte 29-3 (19) in November, dropping a 12-round majority decision.
The 33-year-old Joshua is coming off back-to-back decision losses to undefeated Ukrainian southpaw Oleksandr Usyk 20-0 (13), who lifted his WBA, WBO and IBF titles in their first bout in September 2021 and retained them in their immediate rematch eleven months later.
Franklin believes Joshua should have fought former longtime WBC champion Deontay Wilder 43-2-1 (42) or current WBC king Tyson Fury 33-0-1 (24) by now.
“I ain’t going to say they ducked Wilder, but it was kind of strange when that Wilder situation was going on and then he hasn’t fought Fury,” Franklin told The DAZN Boxing Show.
“Boxing is a lot more business savvy than a lot of people think, there’s more to it than just ‘We’re going to fight’.
“AJ does have a tough resume, but there are a few questionable fights on there earlier on.”
Brit Joshua won his first world title when he annexed the IBF from then-undefeated Charles Martin with a second-round knockout in April 2016.
Two title defences against Dominic Breazeale and Eric Molina followed, both ending via knockout, before Joshua faced the toughest test of his career against WBA champion Wladimir Klitschko in April 2017.
Joshua had Klitschko on the canvas in the fifth but the Ukrainian veteran returned the favour in the following round. In a gruelling race to the finish, Joshua eventually prevailed by 11th round knockout.
It remains the biggest win of Joshua’s 10-year pro career.
“The Klitschko fight, you beat up an older Klitschko, against a younger Klitschko I don’t think that fight would have went the way that it did,” Franklin said.
“The Usyk fight was questionable even though he lost it, but it was just the way he was fighting, I’ve seen better performances from him.”
“It’s not an easy fight; it’s not a soft touch at all,” said DAZN Boxing Show host Akin Reyes.
Co-host Barak Bess added: “I’m saying, ‘Eddie, hold on. You said he wouldn’t be fighting one of the top 15 guys. That’s not the guy.’
“That’s Anthony Joshua’s pedigree. He’s just fighting good fight after good fight and there are no breaks for Anthony Joshua.”
Joshua will be having his first bout with new trainer Derrick James, who also trains world champions Errol Spence Jr and the Charlo twins, Jermell and Jermall.
“He’s training with a new trainer Derrick James at the camp of Errol Spence and Charlo,” said Akin. “That has to be all panned out. You have to see how you gel.
“Usually, after a fight like that [against Usyk] you don’t jump into a big fight, but that’s how Joshua and Eddie Hearn have always done that. So we’re looking forward to that. I see so many big fights in 2023, so I’m excited about that fight.”
