Anthony Joshua, ten million pounds for a return to tense nerves: the brawl with Franklin came close

Ten million pounds for a return without treble. Anthony Joshua has taken much higher purses in his career, but the fact of having collected so much after he had won just twice in the last 5 fights and came from the double defeat with Oleksandr Usyk, which had cost him the three heavyweight crowns (Wba, Ibf and Wbo), says a lot about the interests that the giant from Watford still manages to move. He would move, and gigantic ones, in the event that Tyson Fury, fresh from the failure of the negotiations for the reunification of the title with Usyk, accepts the challenge that Joshua launched him after the match. To interdict us, Wembley would be too small…

Apart from the economic issue, the clear victory on points (118-111 and double 117-110) against Jermaine Franklin, developed between lights and shadows. Joshua, who has changed coach, has done well with the homework that allows him to have a statuesque physique, clearly superior to that of his opponent. He used his left foot well, both in the form of jabs and uppercuts: he brought in a pair of fine workmanship. He brought more than one first intention right foot, he was never in serious danger of losing. Yet his return did not convince.

Franklin brought to the ring one of the many Cinderella stories that boxing can offer. He had fought very little in the last 4 years to the point of having to invent a worker for a company that repairs roofs. Then the chance against Whyte, well exploited even in the defeat, and now a purse of 800 thousand pounds. Franklin played well psychologically, but also technically – he lost 10 kg in a few months – he showed good speed especially with his straight left. He provoked with strong words, Joshua fell for it showing that he suffers from the pressure. After the last gong AJ went looking for his opponent and a fight almost ensued. He knows what would happen against a master of mental strategy like Fury. The feeling is that within a few months we will know, too much money at stake to drop the thing.