Anthony Joshua caused visible gasps when removing his garments to reveal a chiseled but expanded physique on Friday afternoon.
Joshua moved cagily towards the podium in beast mode as all attending awaited the announcement of his weight for Saturday night.
Anthony Joshua vs Jermaine Franklin weigh-in
The former two-time heavyweight champion subsequently scaled over 255 pounds for his do-or-die comeback fight with American Jermaine Franklin.
To put that in perspective, it’s the heaviest of Joshua’s entire career and eleven pounds more than he weighed for his second loss to Oleksandr Usyk.
It’s startling, given the fact that Joshua was criticized for looking sluggish as he went down to Usyk back-to-back.
Another statistic to digest is that Joshua weighed eighteen pounds less when outmaneuvering Andy Ruiz Jr. in their 2019 Saudi Arabia rematch. Everything is now pointing to Joshua going for an early knockout.
However, in contrast to Joshua, Franklin went the other way. He dropped 23 pounds following his controversial defeat to Dillian Whyte last year.
Franklin tipped just over 234 pounds.
Ironically, it was in the same year [2019] Joshua was 237 pounds when Franklin scaled near his current weight for Pawel Sour.
Both men are ready for action in what could become a game of cat and mouse at the sold out O2 Arena after tickets for the event finally got snapped up entirely on Friday morning.
Speaking ahead of the fight, Joshua said: “At a certain level, it’s hard to go into the ring and knock someone out within like ten seconds.
“There’s a process to getting that knockout. You have to be disciplined. I understand there are high expectations.
“People put their own expectations on other people. People put me in high regard. That’s where the pressure comes from, me having to deliver.
“I understand that, and I’ll do my best for sure.
Franklin stated on the size difference: “He’s only four inches taller than me. He’s 6’6 “, and I’m 6’2 “. I’ve been sparring big guys my whole career. This is nothing new to me.”
Joshua vs Franklin
Joshua vs. Franklin headlines a night of boxing at the O2 Arena in London. British heavyweight champion Fabio Wardley on the undercard, meets American Michael Polite-Coffie for the vacant WBA continental title.
Undefeated Texas Middleweight Austin’ Ammo’ Williams fights in the UK for the third time against Coventry’s River Wilson-Bent.
Meanwhile, Campbell Hatton is back in action against Louis Fielding after hitting double figures in Liverpool in March.
Essex’s John Hedges lands his first eight-round clash against Poland’s Daniel Bocianski (11-2, 2 KOs).
Jordan Flynn faces the stiffest examination of his credentials when he meets Birmingham stalwart Kane Baker over eight rounds.
Albanian Cruiserweight Juergen Uldedaj takes on Switzerland’s Benoit Huber over eight rounds.
Ziya Almaayouf faces Bulgaria’s Georgi Velichkov over four rounds. And finally, German Heavyweight Peter Kadiru opens the evening’s action against Macedonia’s Alen Lauriolle over six rounds.
