Joshua back to winning ways with unanimous decision over Franklin

After successive losses to Oleksandr Usyk, Anthony Joshua returned to winning ways with a unanimous points victory over American, Jermaine Franklin at London’s O2 Arena on Saturday night.

Joshua emerged victorious with the judges scoring the fight 118-111, 117-111, and 117-111 in his favour.

The first round began with the former world heavyweight champion in the ascendency as he looked to work his left jab.

Despite his career-high weight, Joshua’s smaller American opponent kept moving confidently forward and landed a few solid shots, causing Joshua to bleed heavily from his nose.

The pair started to trade blows through the third period with Joshua struggling to push through the gears, and Franklin’s slick jab was proving a real weapon as the fight reached a cagey stage going into the fifth round.

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A good right hand started the fifth but Joshua continued to struggle to make a significant breakthrough with Franklin certainly in the fight.

The American continued to press forward himself at the midway point with Joshua finding himself in a real test against a slick opponent, as the pair finally exchanged in a small flurry at the end of the sixth.

Some big shots started to finally hit their target in the tenth for the British-Born Nigerian who had much more success in the stanza but Franklin continued to trade and fire back as the fight started to open up.

It all came down to the final round, with Joshua landing a big uppercut but it ultimately went to the scorecards with Joshua victorious.

Speaking after the fight, Joshua expressed disappointment not to knock his opponent out.

“Jermaine has a good duck-and-dive style, somebody else from Britain will probably knock him out.

“I respect him, he did well. I should have knocked him out but it is done. He is here to prove himself, not roll over. I wish I could have knocked him out.”