Heavyweight boxing

ANTHONY JOSHUA could not hide the pain of his devastating world title fight losses from his seven-year-old son and credits his boy with helping him make Saturday’s emotional comeback.Little JJ would have been tucked up in bed last August when Oleksandr Usyk bamboozled his dad for the second time inside 11 months.
Anthony Joshua revealed his son inspired him to return to the ringCredit: PA
Anthony Joshua’s son convinced him to return to the ringCredit: Instagram @anthonyjoshua
The first occasion saw the Ukrainian genius take AJ’s WBA, IBF and WBO heavyweight crowns in London the previous September.
After the second defeat, as Joshua failed to regain his titles in Saudi Arabia, the Watford hero threw a tantrum that his schoolboy son would have been proud of.
But in the post-fight press conference he broke down in tears and sobbed under the totally false impression that he had let Britain down, after a glorious decade winning the London 2012 Olympics and being two-time heavyweight champion of the world.
It was hard to watch, knowing how much the 33-year-old had given to British sport, and impossible for Joshua to hide from his son — and possible boxing heir — when he got home, beaten and bruised but never broken.
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“Oh yeah, definitely,” AJ revealed when asked if his son could sense his pain.
“He’s seven, he is going to be eight this year. He’s aware but I don’t think he cares. He knows it’s boxing, him and his cousins box now and again. He’s definitely aware.
“He’s like me when I lose, that’s how he is when he loses. We are bad losers.
“Honestly, he throws a big tantrum but I like seeing that side of him. It shows he cares.”
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Joshua makes his comeback against American Jermaine Franklin at London’s O2, a fight he must win if he wants to dance with the likes of Usyk or WBC king Tyson Fury.
Asked if little JJ was part of the motivation to return to the bearpit and risk the ridicule and danger with so much credit and money in the bank, he said, simply: “Yes.
“At first it was just for myself. Now it goes — myself, the family and then the community.
“There is that family element but it is not just him, it’s the whole family.”
BETTING SPECIAL – ODDS AND OFFERS FOR JOSHUA vs FRANKLIN
Joshua couldn’t hold back his tears after he lost to Oleksandr UsykCredit: EPA
Joshua loves the competitive spirit running through his bloodline but he also knows how dark and dirty the bleeding business is.
So he is torn on whether his pride and joy will ever fight for money he will hopefully never need, thanks to dad’s hard graft.
And the idea of harsh boxing critics comparing the father-son dynasty is already eating away at his paternal instinct.
Joshua explained: “I think he would have a good run at it because of the experience that I’ve got. I would be able to guide him, so he would have a head start.
“One thing I would tell him, if he was to do it — because it’s his decision and I wouldn’t force him to do it — I would say ‘don’t compete with me, try to be your own individual’.
“I’d tell him, ‘Anything I’ve achieved in boxing is not for you to try to match and use it for your own reasons’.
Joshua will face Jermaine Franklin in his comeback fightCredit: Splash
“I wouldn’t want him to get into boxing and everyone is asking about his dad, ‘Are you going to be like him?’ It’s too much pressure.
“That’s the advice I would give him, if he was to do it but I wouldn’t advise him.”
New American trainer Derrick James convinced AJ to move to his Dallas gym for this camp, tearing him away from his close-knit family for around three months.
And even though he returned to England last week to reacclimatise, Joshua has kept himself locked away at a secret Wimbledon base and refused to break his laser focus for any emotional distractions.
When asked if it was harder being 5,000 or 15 miles away from his loved ones, he instantly said: “Twenty minutes across London.
“It’s crazy because we are so connected now that it’s hard to get disconnected. But, when you’re searching for certain answers, you can actually listen to yourself a bit more when you’re disconnected.
Joshua lost twice to Usyk in his last two boxing fightsCredit: Reuters
“Being a bit further away from the distractions and the hustle and bustle and small distractions, being further away has been better, being home is harder.
“When you travel from one country to another, you kind of want to keep that same rhythm.
“I feel, no matter how much training you’ve done, you could potentially let your opponent catch up by slipping in the last week or so.
“I’ve kept it disciplined up until now and I will until fight night.”
When 18-year-old bricklayer and party-boy Joshua decided to turn his back on a life of petty crime to focus on boxing, he accepted the next 20 years would be like a prison sentence.
There was going to be loneliness, pain, stress, punishment, rejection, failure and sacrifice — lots and lots of sacrifice.

🥊 Anthony Joshua vs Jermaine Franklin – Date, live stream, TV channel and all you need to know about heavyweight bout
Now nearing his freedom, but sick of repetitive retirement questions, he reckons one of the toughest sacrifices was going from the remand wing at Reading prison as a tearaway teen to addressing The Queen, at a 2020 Commonwealth celebration, with the world watching.
The intensely-private Joshua said: “It’s hard to say what the biggest sacrifice has been but in this business people want to have a look into your life.
“I had to put myself forward into positions I had never been nurtured for. I stood up in front of The Queen for example, reading a speech at Westminster Abbey, that I’ve never ever really been prepared for.
“I never came from that walk of life and the sacrifice is getting up there and presenting yourself to the public.
“After that gig, I went back to the estate with my mates, so it’s a sacrifice.
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“I wanted to do better but I hadn’t come from there and I’m exposing myself to higher expectations. But I’m just a normal guy.”
Yeah, of course you are, Champ. More

JOE JOYCE has snapped up Anthony Joshua’s offer of a Team GB battle of the golden boys but doubts he will be true to his word.AJ and the Juggernaut, 37, did thousands of rounds in Sheffield ahead of 33-year-old Joshua’s London 2012 Olympic gold.
Anthony Joshua is keen to face Joe Joyce in the summerCredit: PA
And Joyce was robbed of that same top medal – and the mega-money pro and sponsorship deals AJ was handed – when he was stitched up with a silver after peppering Tony Yoka in the Rio 2016 final.
There was always respect and messages swapped between the pair until Joyce reckons AJ ghosted him after his 2019 loss to Andy Ruiz Jr.
But, ahead of Saturday’s comeback bout with Jermaine Franklin, Joshua has said his fellow Londoner is his ideal summer rival – and not presumed opponent Dillian Whyte.
“Dillian Whyte not so much,” Joshua said about the next step. “Joe Joyce is the one that interests me the most”
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Joyce is one of the mandatory challengers for WBA, IBF and WBO king Oleksandr Usyk but – in the bizarre way boxing works – Daniel Dubois, who Joyce dominated in a 2020 triumph, is ahead in the queue.
While waiting, the Putney giant has to come through Chinese southpaw Zhilei Zang on April 15 and then he will hold AJ to his big talk.
Joyce told SunSport: “It’s good that Joshua has finally found his tongue about me.
“I thought he might have thrown his phone in the Hudson river after he lost in New York and stopped replying to my messages.
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“I have a proper fight in two weeks against someone he backed away from – a 6ft 6in Olympic bronze winner. He’s fighting someone without that pedigree who looks about a foot shorter than him.
“ I saw AJ and Eddie promise that the winner of Franklin and Whyte last November was going to get this AJ fight and they’ve gone with the geezer who lost!
“But if we both come through I would have that fight in the summer, two of the best in the UK going at it and the winner fights Tyson Fury!
“But I’m just not sure he really wants it.
BETTING SPECIAL – ODDS AND OFFERS FOR JOSHUA vs FRANKLIN
Joe Joyce thought Anthony Joshua ghosted him after his loss to Andy Ruiz JrCredit: Getty
AJ suffered a shock loss to Andy Ruiz in 2019Credit: PA
“It’s so easy to make though – my management and his management know each other well and I understand Frank and Eddie and BT and DAZN would combine on it no problem.
“British boxing needs these fights – no more messing about”
“So I’m all in , no problem, but I fully expect them to find an excuse to back out when it actually comes time to sign a contract.
“I don’t think that AJ wants an opponent like me next.
“He may talk about tough fights against me and Fury but I reckon he needs to rebuild his confidence before he gets Juggernauted.“ More

ISAAC DOGBOE is the unknown former British world champion set to challenge for another title this weekend.The Ghanaian-born Brit was sent to England by his royal grandfather at the tender age of eight in a bid to guarantee him a university education.
Ghanaian-born Brit Isaac Dogboe is the former WBO super-bantamweight championCredit: INSTAGRAM@ISSACBRAVESON
The 28-year-old is well known back in Ghana but not on the radar of many British boxing fansCredit: INSTAGRAM@ISSACBRAVESON
Dogboe beganing boxing at a tender ageCredit: Instagram @isaacbraveson
Dogboe did end up getting a first-rate education, as well as schooling in the school of hard knocks as he continued his passion for boxing not long after arriving in London.
And in 2018 – fifteen years after being shipped off to the UK – he became the WBO super-bantamweight champion of the world.
When recalling his move to Britain, he told SunSport: “I was around eight when I moved over here but my dad was already here and I was just coming to join him.
“Ghana to London to Kennington was a shock, I came in September and it was chilly.
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“I had the heating on full blast all the time but going out was cold but I managed to adapt very quickly.
“At some points school was easy but it was tough at the beginning.
“Early on I got in a fight and I went home to my father and he told me off, he told me to walk away and tell the teacher.
“I went back and the next incident was a group of guys who wanted to fight me because I was African.
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“They pushed me in a circle with another guy and just made us fight.
“It was mad, it was totally mad. The guy just started swinging and I was just trying to block and shield myself.
“I went home with black and bloodshot eyes and my father asked what happened.
“I told him I got beat up but that was the last one I had and I have never been beaten up since.”
His reign as WBO 122lbs championed lasted a matter of months as he ended up being dethroned by Mexico’s Emanuel Navarrete.
But he’ll bid to become a two-time world champion this weekend when he takes on Robeisy Ramírez for the vacant WBO featherweight title in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
And the diminutive destroyer is looking forward to proving once again that he’s one of the best fighters in the world.
Dogboe will bid to become a two-time world champion on Saturday nightCredit: INSTAGRAM@ISSACBRAVESON
He told Boxing Scene: “When I was world champion, I had to first win the interim title before I won the main belt.
“It didn’t bother me to have to do that again.
“Proving myself against the best is all that has ever mattered to me.”
Dogboe’s grandfather – the ruler of the Anlo state in the Volta region of Ghana – sadly passed away in 2014 – four years before his world title triumph.
But he believes his the late Torgbui Sri III has looked down proudly on his career.
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He said: “My grandfather passed away in 2014, while I was training in California.”
“I am sure, wherever his soul is, that he is very happy and I hope he is proud.” More

RING GIRL Chloe Ellman-Baker has revealed that Anthony Joshua is a “gentleman” when outside of the boxing ring.The British icon is set to return to action on Saturday night as he faces off with Jermaine Franklin.
Chloe Ellman-Baker has said what Anthony Joshua is like in personCredit: Chloe Ellman-Baker
Chloe is a Matchroom ring girlCredit: Matchroom
She will be ringside as AJ fights Jermaine FranklinCredit: https://www.instagram.com/chloe.eb/?hl=en
And she will be joined by co-ring girl and close friend Alissa King-Underwood (L)Credit: https://www.instagram.com/p/CqV03mMraZh/
The 33-year-old will be hoping to bounce back after defeats to Ukrainian fighter Oleksandr Usyk.
Many boxers big up their hard persona when talking about fighting in order to show no weakness.
And while AJ does the same, ring girl Chloe, 23, has said that he is very different when away from the limelight.
She told The SunSport: “He is such a gentleman outside of the ring.
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“I met him a few fights ago when I was last ring girling last, and he is such a down-to-earth guy and I had a proper chat with him.
“He always has time for you, which is lovely.
“I am really excited, I think he is going to smash it on fight night and I can’t wait to see him in action as this is my first AJ fight.”
Chloe is one of the popular ring girls from Matchroom and gets plenty of attention from her 16.9k fans on Instagram.
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She even revealed that some notable people have tried to slip into her DMs.
She added: “There are a lot of blue ticks haha.
“I am a very friendly person and I think because I am so good at connecting with people that is probably why I have quite a few famous people in my DMs.
“But yeah without going through them I can’t specifically say.”
Chloe will be ringside for AJ’s fight against Franklin along with co-ring girl and close friend Alessi King-Underwood.
Alessi also stars in the ring but also has a princess look-a-like business.

Both of the girls are managed by SBJ Management.
She has followed in the footsteps of her mother Julie, who also used to be a ring girl for Matchroom.
Chloe has over 16,000 followers on InstagramCredit: https://www.instagram.com/chloe.eb/?hl=en
And often gets DMs from notable peopleCredit: https://www.instagram.com/chloe.eb/?hl=en
Chloe has won multiple beauty pageant awardsCredit: https://www.instagram.com/chloe.eb/?hl=en More

ANTHONY JOSHUA is fighting Jermaine Franklin at the heaviest weight of his career as he bids to blast him out.AJ – at 18st 3lbs – has packed on almost a stone to blast Jermaine Franklin out in his comeback bout, after consecutive Oleksandr Usyk loss, in a one-sided war.
Anthony Joshua weighed in at 18st 3lbsCredit: Reuters
While his opponent Jermaine Franklin weighed in at 18st 5lbsCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun
Franklin came in at 16st 10IbsCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun
Listen to free live commentary of Anthony Joshua vs Jermaine Franklin on talkSPORT. Download the app.
AJ was 244lbs – 17st 6lbs – for the heartbreaking second Usyk defeat in August and 240lbs for the original loss 11 months earlier in Tottenham.
But the 33-year-old marched into West London on Friday a hulking 255lbs – 1lb heavier than his previous most hefty against Carlos Takam in 2017 – and warned the 29-year-old American it’s going to be a brutal battle.
He said: “I’ve got my gameplan, I’ve got my mind right.
“I am ready for war.
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“I know I can knock him out but I follow the process.”
AJ admitted after the Takam fight that he had only ballooned up because the Frenchman was a last-minute replacement for Kubrat Pulev and he took his eye off the ball.
But under aggression-loving Derrick James he seems to have packed on powerful muscle on purpose, to return to his most savage glory days.
Franklin, 234lbs had been working in a roof insulation company when the call to fight Dillian Whyte in November came and landed in London a flabby 18st 5lbs.
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But after being given a proper training camp for this life-changing opportunity, he ditched his beloved red meat and sugar and dropped 25lbs pounds to look lean and mean in Shepherds Bush on Friday.
Fans have taken to social media to discuss AJ’s weight.
One tweeted: “Franklin will get smoked. This isn’t even fair.”
A second commented: “It’s a non contest.”
While a third said: “AJ is the next Ivan Drago clone. True warrior, ducks no one. Fought the best.”

🥊 Anthony Joshua vs Jermaine Franklin – Date, live stream, TV channel and all you need to know about heavyweight bout
Franklin is hoping to catch AJ flat just like Andy Ruiz Jr.
The chubby Mexican stunned AJ in 2019 but handed the three belts back after six months of scoffing and partying.
Fellow underdog Franklin has gone the other way and dropped 25lbs for his shot at the British icon.
He plans to catch Joshua with jetlag but he promises a shock victory would not be a first-class ticket back to obesity.

“I like Andy but he just dropped the ball completely,” Franklin laughed.
“I don’t know if he had people in his ear, or was it just the lights that got to him? 
“But it won’t happen to me, no way at all.
“He has a rematch clause if he loses but I won’t be blowing that if it happens?”
When Franklin last visited to fight Whyte in November, he was rocked by the flight and time difference, floored for a fortnight and visited the doctors.
So he’s shocked our Watford ace only flew back from his Dallas camp last Thursday and took only 10 tens to reacclimatise.
“Last time I couldn’t probably do anything for like four rounds,” he said.
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“I felt like I’d been in the gym the whole day. My body would just be extremely exhausted. I had no energy.
“If Joshua has only just come in last week then maybe he has the same problem, maybe I catch him cold and early.” More