Joshua vs Franklin Odds Preview: Joshua Set For New Chapter

Boxing Odds Widely Favor Joshua Over Franklin

Anthony Joshua is set to return with a vengeance. The former unified heavyweight champion gets Jermaine Franklin, a top contender, in what should result in a dominant win for the Briton. He is fighting on his home soil and is set up to capture his first victory since 2020. The Joshua vs Franklin odds are not close and “AJ” is favored at -1200 or shorter. This is a “fresh start” for Joshua as he works his way back to a title shot.

Joshua Must Impress in “Tune-Up” Fight

Coming off two straight losses, Joshua’s shine is all but gone now. The former champion must rebuild his reputation as a heavyweight legend and it starts by dusting Jermaine Franklin. This is a fight that sees Joshua as the widest favorite he’s been since he fought Andy Ruiz for the first time in 2019.

The Joshua vs Franklin odds give AJ an 87.4 percent chance of winning. Franklin last lost to Dillian Whyte in a competitive bout that many scored for him. Other than that, he defeated Herry Forrest. But in short, Franklin is at least two tiers below the type of boxer Joshua is. At worst, this should be a sound decision win for the former IBF, IBO, WBA, and WBO world champion.

As for Franklin, the heavyweight contender could earn a title shot if he gets past Joshua. He’s a bit outgunned here being the smaller boxer. Franklin is 6’2″ with a 77-inch reach while Joshua is 6’6″ with an 82-inch reach. But Ruiz had similar disadvantages and found a way to hand Joshua his first loss.

Most boxing predictions expect Franklin to lose to Joshua. But the American has some ways to even the playing field and it starts psychologically.

“In the ring, I might call him soft, or a p***y, I start my talk in the ring,” Franklin told SunSport.“Outside the ring, I might not say much, but inside you might hear me tell him: ‘Your momma hits harder than you’. Trash talk outside the ring is not my persona, I do it in the ring, during the fight, in the clinches.”

If Franklin can find a way to get Joshua out of his game, he can outbox him. Otherwise, this is a tailor-made fight for Joshua and a significant step down from the likes of Oleksandr Usyk and Kubrat Pulev. AJ should block out Franklin’s talk and dispatch him.Joshua vs Franklin’s totals have it lined at 7.5 rounds. Whether it goes over or under, Joshua should find a way to get back in the ‘win’ column.

What’s Next for Joshua Should He Win?

Joshua should beat Franklin and set himself up with a more significant bout in the near future. He can go many ways here given he still has a name.

One way is to rematch Whyte and earn a shot at Tyson Fury or a trilogy with Usyk. Another is to complete the trilogy with Ruiz in what should be a blockbuster event that can be set anywhere. Either way, Joshua is still a draw even without a title.

“It’s been a great run,” Joshua itted to Yahoo Sports. “The thing is, I do and I did want respect from people in the industry that I ire, ex-legends in the game and when you’re not a champion anymore you feel like that goes away.”

Joshua could have a tough boxing schedule ahead of him as he fights all the top boxers of the division even outside of the champions. The fight with Deontay Wilder still hangs there somewhere and the winner of Joe Joyce and Zhilei Zhang or even Filip Hrgovic could challenge him.

The best case for Joshua is to dust Franklin then hope Fury beats Usyk to capture all the titles. Then he can finally box Fury in what should be a blockbuster event that could set him up to become the best heavyweight of his era. But if he loses to Franklin, Joshua may well be on his way to becoming the top gatekeeper of the division. For boxing’s sake, it should be the former.

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