Heavyweight boxing

ANTHONY JOSHUA has warned Jermaine Franklin “there will be blood” in Saturday’s showdown.The Watford Warrior will bid to get back in the win column against the hard-hitting American at the O2 Arena following back-to-back losses to Oleksandr Usyk.
Anthony Joshua faces Jermaine Franklin at the O2 on Saturday nightCredit: PA
The fight will be AJ’s first since his back-to-back losses to Oleksandr UsykCredit: GETTY
Joshua is out to spill blood this weekendCredit: ALAMY
A third defeat on the trot will be curtains for Joshua’s world title hopes, which he hopes to re-ignite by spilling the blood of Franklin.
The 33-year-old said: “I think we will see blood and I just really look forward to getting in there again.
“I’m so happy I’m fighting again because when you look at the champions now, it is just a shambles when you are trying to compete with mandatories and negotiations.
“Honestly I can’t believe no fights have been made at championship level.
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“I am so happy I can get back to work, get on with my job and I am looking forward to this assignment.
“I can’t wait honestly. I am really looking forward to it.”
Franklin – who was robbed of a points victory over Dillian Whyte last November – and his team reckon they’re getting their hands on AJ at the right time.
Joshua, however, insists that couldn’t be any further from the truth, saying: “It is the worst time.
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“The more he talks, the bigger grave he digs for himself but it is what it is.
“I could say a lot of things about him but I respect my opponent.
“It is not for me to talk, it is for you to do all the talking and for me to do my job on Saturday.
“That is really honestly what I am focused on from round one to round 12.
“I am prepared for a 12-rounder but I do believe in my ability, my counter-punching and all that type of stuff to definitely put a dent in Jermaine.
“But I am not here to talk, I am here to do what I have to do because I really want to win.”
Joshua is all too aware he needs to get back in the win column in emphatic fashion if he’s to convince fans he’s still a force to be reckoned with in the division.

Credit: SUNSPORT
🥊 Anthony Joshua vs Jermaine Franklin – Date, live stream, TV channel and all you need to know about heavyweight bout
The Olympic gold medallist said: “As he said, it is by any means necessary.
“We are just here to do a job. I respect my opponent and may the best man win.
“One thing he said is he started eating right for this camp, he’s dealing with someone who has been living right from the get-go.
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“I have been putting in work from the day I started this business.
“It’s going to be a good fight because he’s up against a real one, for sure.” More

JERMAINE FRANKLIN’S transformed physique left Eddie Hearn shocked ahead of his fight with Anthony Joshua at the O2 Arena. In Franklin’s last fight, a controversial split decision loss to Dillian Whyte, the American weighed in at 257lbs.
Jermaine Franklin has lost 24lbs since his last fight in November against Dillian WhyteCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun
Eddie Hearn was shocked at Franklin’s transformationCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun
Now. ahead of Franklin’s fight with Joshua on Saturday night, the American heavyweight has lost 24lbs and is “ripped to shreds.”
Hearn couldn’t believe it when he saw Franklin’s physique.
Speaking to Boxing Social he said: ” I went downstairs and saw Jermaine Franklin having his photos taken and all of a sudden he’s got an eight pack.
“When he boxed Dillian Whyte he had a belly on him, but I’ve just seen him with his kit off, he’s absolutely ripped to shreds.
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“I don’t know what’s happened, he says he’s lost 24 lbs.
“I don’t know whether it’s going to help him or hinder him, hopefully the latter because we need AJ to knock him out in style on Saturday night.”
The American took to Twitter to respond to the clip.
He tweeted: ” Maybe a four pack lol. I have put in the work. It’s going to be a great fight.”
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As well as appearing physically ready, Franklin seems to have a real focus ahead of his huge fight against Joshua.
Speaking to talkSPORT’s Gareth Davies, he said: “I see that he struggles a little bit with smaller guys.
“He likes to trade at points in the fight, so we’ve been looking at that and looking at different ways we can attack and adjustments we can make to make it more comfortable.”
When pushed for a prediction Franklin said: “If it’s not a knockout then it will be a domination brutally.
“I’ll go at him, see what he’s going to do and see if I can make him make mistakes early.”
For Joshua this is a must win fight having lost his last two fights to Ukraine’s Oleksandr Usyk.
Credit: SUNSPORT
🥊 Anthony Joshua vs Jermaine Franklin – Date, live stream, TV channel and all you need to know about heavyweight bout More

TYSON FURY could see his fight with Oleksandr Usyk rescheduled for July – but it would come at the cost of paying Daniel Dubois. The pair of unbeaten champions failed to agree terms for the heavyweight division’s first ever four-belt unification bout.
Tyson Fury could see his undisputed fight with Oleksandr Usyk rescheduled for JulyCredit: Getty
Oleksandr Usyk is mandated to fight Daniel Dubois nextCredit: Getty
A deal collapsed at the 11th hour over financials for a potential rematch, with Usyk’s team walking away.
The Ukrainian is now mandated to face Dubois NEXT after the undisputed decider fell through.
But promoter Frank Warren is ready to explore a step-aside deal which would allow Fury to at last face Usyk in the summer.
He said on talkSPORT: “If Usyk remains undefeated then there is a chance to get that done if it goes on in Saudi.
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“The other option is – Daniel Dubois is now the official mandatory – if there was a step aside situation and do the fight in July.”
The WBA had called for Usyk, 36, to fight Dubois if a deal with Fury, 34, was not agreed by April 1.
But the pound-for-pound stars saw negotiations get the KO before the deadline was even up.
Fury could now face Joe Joyce, 37, in the summer if the British contender beats China’s Zhilei Zhang, 39, on April 15.
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Meanwhile, Warren has to re-enter talks with Usyk’s team but this time for a fight against Dubois.
The 25-year-old suffered a horror knee injury in his last win in December against Kevin Lerena, 30.
But Warren has medical documentation to prove Dubois is fit to fight and has already began steps to agree the unified title bout.

He said: “Got that, it’s been sent.
“Negotiations were ordered, if you recall they said if we don’t get it done by April 1 then Daniel is mandatory. We’re on it, we’re negotiating it.”
Daniel Dubois with promoter Frank WarrenCredit: Getty More

ANTHONY JOSHUA has hit out at claims he’s dictated every aspect of his training camps.In recent years, the former two-time unified heavyweight champion has been accused of man-managing his gruelling fight camps.
Anthony Joshua has hit out at claims he’s man-managed his training campsCredit: Getty
The claims came to the fore after his split from Robert GarciaCredit: GETTY
AJ has enlisted the services of Derrick James for his ring returnCredit: GETTY
The claims increased after AJ handed the coaching reigns to American Derrick James following his split from Robert Garcia, in the wake of his second defeat to Oleksandr Usyk.
And to say the notion of him not following the guidance of his coaches irks the Watford warrior would be an understatement.
Speaking to SecondsOut ahead of his clash with Jermaine Franklin, AJ said: “People talk so much s*** about me, it’s crazy. It’s crazy.
“If I’m someone that runs [the training camps], like what you said about, am I being myself now? I just always keep it 100.
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“If I’m someone that runs my camp, I’m not gonna change that. I’m a two-time heavyweight champ of the world.
“Why am I gonna change that? Why am I gonna go to Derek [James] and be like, ‘Yeah, everything I’ve done, forget it. You go and take [the] lead.”
AJ upped sticks to Texas to train with renowned coach James for his crucial comeback bout with Franklin and insists he’s fully immersed himself in his new trainer’s school of thought.
He said: “I’ve always let my coach lead, whatever he thinks he should do, [I’ll do]. Ask Derek.
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“The only thing I’ll dictate on is me wanting to do more.
“That’s probably the only thing I’ll ask him to do.
“‘Oh, can we do one more round on this? Can we do one more round on that?’
“I’m not dictating, writing out a programme at eight o’clock at night when I should be in bed resting.
“It’s like – people talk a lot of s**t about me.”
Joshua’s clash with Franklin will be his first outing since back-to-back defeats to pound-for-pound king Oleksandr Usyk.
Credit: SUNSPORT
🥊 Anthony Joshua vs Jermaine Franklin – Date, live stream, TV channel and all you need to know about heavyweight bout
And he admits defeat to the American could be curtains for his career, saying: “How long can this run go on for, three or four years?
“And you know how quick time goes.
“We’re saying this now and we can look back in two years, three years, and be like f***ing hell where’s the time gone?
“So, if I was going to do another run after this, you’re talking about fighting into my forties and I truly believe that boxing is a young man’s sport,
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“It takes a real solid character like Bernard Hopkins, George Foreman, Wladimir Klitschko and Alexander Povetkin, to go on into their forties.
“But I think this is a run I want to make successful and then, you know, hopefully, go out on top.” More