Tonight marks Anthony Joshua’s return to the O2 Arena for the first time since 2016, as he seeks redemption in one of the most pivotal fights of his career against Jermaine Franklin.
The world of boxing was a very different place the last time AJ graced London’s iconic arena. A new era of heavyweight was beginning. Tyson Fury had dethroned Wladimir Klitschko to become the new unified champion the previous year, Deontay Wilder had won the WBC heavyweight title and was making his first few defenses, & AJ had just won his first world title after knocking out Charles Martin inside two rounds.
Two more world titles & 11 fights later and AJ is where he is today. After avenging & overcoming the adversity of a crushing defeat to Andy Ruiz that many argue has defined the latter portion of his career, he is now faced with another challenge – to overcome back-to-back losses for the first time, with both coming at the hands of Oleksandr Usyk.
For Joshua, he is determined to show the world that he’s still a force to be reckoned with & reinforce his position among the sport’s biggest stars. Whilst Franklin has the opportunity of a lifetime, to establish not only himself as a true contender, but his own new dawn in the heavyweight division. Something that many have speculated that if were to come to fruition, may come at the cost of Anthony Joshua’s career.
A New Anthony Joshua
“I will. I will retire if I lose. I’m not here to battle people. If people want me to retire I will retire” he told MailOnline.
“I know when I’m retired, I am gonna be thinking f**k everyone. I am done.”
Surely these comments mean that AJ is ready to really hang it up if he loses? Well, not exactly.
Ironically Joshua has often been criticised in the past for trying to please people in the media, but despite declaring that he’s doing exactly that here, he reflects almost an entirely different tone in doing so.
Not only did the former unified champion later clarify that this was just a reflection of what reporters and pundits wanted to hear rather than his own personal feelings, but I believe that AJ’s whole fight week demeanor with the media point to a refreshed Anthony Joshua with a different attitude heading into fight night. A version of AJ that has little desire to give any more energy into swaying the public perception of him.
“I don’t debate with people about my career. I’m not gonna feed you that energy. I haven’t got the energy for it, to be debating why I shouldn’t, and the facts & the stats of other people that have come back. I just don’t entertain it so I’m like ‘okay yeah I will retire if I lose.’ and that just puts an end to the conversation” AJ told IFL TV.
A New Camp & Training Under Derek James
With a new mentality comes a new coach & a new training camp to match. Joshua’s decision to train at Derek James’ World Class Boxing Gym marks a significant shift from the comfort of home, whether it was Sheffield’s GB Olympic HQ or Loughborough. The gym is widely regarded as one of the most serious American pro-boxing gyms and is home to some of the world’s top pound-for-pound boxers, including Errol Spence and Jermell Charlo. Whilst some worry about it being AJ’s third head coach in his past three fights, it’s hoped that Derek James will bring a sense of clarity to Joshua’s corner, which has recently all too often contained too many voices and conflicting opinions.
“I feel the world hasn’t seen the best of Anthony Joshua, especially the guy I’ve been working with in the gym,” James stated. With James’ success in coaching a consistently aggressive style that’s tailor-made for Joshua, he is in good hands to maximise his full potential as a fighter.
The State of the Heavyweight Division and Anthony Joshua’s Moment of Truth
Anthony Joshua has gone from starboy to scorched superstar. After seeing the rawest version of AJ, emotionally breaking down after the post-fight drama following the Usyk loss, it felt like a make-or-break moment for a man who was holding a mammoth weight of expectations on his shoulders. Is it the end of Anthony Joshua at the top of the sport? Will his spectacular victory over Wladimir Klitschko in front of 90,000 at Wembley end as the peak of his career, or can he still reach that pinnacle again and even go beyond it as so many thought he was destined to? Some have lost faith & written him off, but there is still hope for Joshua.
Joshua has often likely unfairly taken the brunt of megafights with Fury or Wilder failing to materialise, but a massive opportunity is opening up. As some largely blame Tyson Fury for the breakdown of an undisputed fight with Usyk, all it takes is a classic early-AJ style win under a new trainer and the conversation begins to shift again. Fights with Fury, Wilder, and Joe Joyce all become big talking points, and the window of opportunity for Joshua to cement his legacy as a heavyweight great once again falls right at his feet.
The window is wide open and now is the time for Anthony Joshua to put the heavyweight division on notice. It’s Anthony Joshua’s job to remind the world of the fighter he really is and tap into the devastating killer instinct that took the sport by storm & propelled him to the top as one of the most ruthless finishers in boxing.
What is your prediction for Anthony Joshua vs Jermaine Franklin? Let us know in the comments below
