By Victor Kanayo
British-Nigerian born boxer, Anthony Joshua, is ready for Heavyweight bout late Saturday night, April 1, 2023, against Jermaine Franklin after both weighed differently.
While Joshua weighed heaviest at 255.4lbs, Franklin dropped to 23lbs.
Joshua, a former champion, will be hoping his added weight will help him make strong statement, and register his first win, since against Kubrat Pulev in December 2020.
He had suffered his second successive defeat to Usyk in August 2022.
In recent times, Joshua’s weight has been a topic of conversation, ever since he made the step up to professional boxing in 2013.
Fans and pundits have often criticised the British heavyweight for being ‘too big’, ‘too heavy’ and ‘too sluggish’.
Some insist the 33-year-old, has bulked up too much since the amateur days, when he beat Roberto Cammarelle in 2012 to become Great Britain’s 29th and final gold medallist at London Olympic Games.
However, Joshua’s coaches are adamant he’s in perfect condition for facing Franklin at the O2 Arena on Saturday evening.
For Franklin, his weight loss provides a clear indication of his game plan, heading into Saturday’s bout. The American will be looking to match Joshua’s output – with the British heavyweight being forced to work 40 per cent harder in his second fight to Usyk, than any of his previous fights.
