Facts about Anthony Joshua's next opponent Jermaine Franklin
Former two-time unified heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua (24-3, 22KO) makes his comeback at The O2 in London against American contender Jermaine Franklin (21-1, 14KO) on April 1st.
Franklin’s last bout was in London, which was his first fight abroad, where he outlanded but was outpointed on the scorecards by Dillian Whyte. Saginaw’s ‘989 Assassin’ felt robbed by the judges, so now he aims to take his frustrations out on British megastar Joshua.
It’s a familiar city for Franklin who is now a familiar face to UK fight fans, but there’s plenty more you should know about the Michigander:
Who is Jermaine Franklin?
Jermaine Franklin started boxing at around 12 or 13 to avoid fighting in the streets and said it gave him a focus and discipline he had never had before. “I wasn't a bad kid but I was getting in a little bit of trouble. I had a love/hate relationship with the sport. I was a big kid and I didn't get a lot of fights as an amateur. All I was doing was working out and never fighting. I probably fell in love with the sport before I went to the nationals when I was 17.”He is known in boxing as the '989 Assassin', because of the area where in which he grew up.
Now 29, Franklin was born and raised in Saginaw, Michigan a city that has produced superstars such as Stevie Wonder and Serena Williams, but despite being a hotbed for talent, the city has its troubles. Violent crime influenced by drug and gang activity has affected the city for generations and made it a precarious place for a young person to grow up in.
He said this of his city in Mid-Michigan: “Saginaw is a place that is on the road to recovery, it is not a place for the weak minded. Growing up in the ‘989’ you have to be street smart and my mother worked hard and did everything she could to keep me on the right path but at school, I was getting into fights, that is when my step dad took me to the boxing gym. I was always into sports so boxing came naturally to me and the rest is history.”
Franklin enjoyed a highly successful amateur career, with good wins over people like Cassius Chaney and winning the coveted National Golden Gloves Championship. A chance to compete at the Olympic Games followed, but Franklin had other plans and decided to turn pro in 2015.
Franklin lost on points in the super-heavyweight final to Cam F. Awesome in the 2013 National Golden Gloves in Salt Lake City, but got his revenge a year later. In the 2014 National Golden Gloves, in Las Vegas, Franklin met Cam Awesome in the final again, but this time he defeated him on points to be crowned champion.
He describes himself as an intelligent fighter, who can box an brawl: “I am a thinker inside the ring, although I can brawl, I can box too. I am always looking for angles to pick my spots to attack.”
He has nine first-round KOs.
He had six 10-round bouts in a row, which the final four went the full distance, and has now completed a 12-round bout.
Between 2019-2022, he was forced to take over two years out of the ring. Franklin had to file for bankruptcy and take up a full-time job working night shifts from 7pm to 7am to support his family, consisting of two daughters and newborn son, due to financial issues with his former management team.
Franklin is now managed by New York-based promoter Dmitriy Salita. In their first fight together, Franklin defeated once-beaten world-ranked Rydell Booker over 10-rounds in Atlantic City.
His favourite fighters include Evander Holyfield, Mike Tyson and Lennox Lewis. When asked about active fighters, he listed Tyson Fury and Andy Ruiz Jr. as two boxers he likes, respects and studies.
He is friends with fellow Saginaw fighter Robert Simms, who is the current WBC United States heavyweight champion. He is also friends with Andre Dirrell and Claressa Shields from nearby Flint, Michigan, plus rapper NOLOVE PEEZ and pro basketball player Sterling Manley.
He is trained by Jessie Addison at the Ultimate Boxing Gym in Saginaw.
Franklin sparred with Tyson Fury ahead of his fight with Dillian Whyte in November last year. He said of the experience at the time, “I have joined up with Tyson’s camp. I tell you I learned a lot on the first day. I realised what many do not believe or want to believe – I can compete with the Tyson Fury’s of the heavyweight division. He is the best, but I believe I have skills and talent to be a champion also. Being in his camp, in this brief period of time, I have learned how to run a camp, how to prepare, and also humble myself to ask other boxers about how they are successful. Yes I will ask and have asked Fury about how to beat Whyte. I will say this, Fury and I are pretty much alike. We love to joke around; we love boxing and we have big personalities. Sparring with Fury so far has shown me I can hang with him in the ring. I know some hater out there will say 'yeah right' but I know now I have the skills to compete and win at that level.”
Due to the issues and stress he encountered with his previous manager, Franklin refreshingly wants to use that negative experience to help others, “I want to start my own company and help other boxers, so they can avoid the dirty side of boxing. A lot of fighters don't have protection. I was in a slave contract with my old manager. I had to what he said or I get nothing at all. Anything I pitched about my career just went in oone ear and out the other. It was always do what they said or nithing happens. I just want to help boxers to be able to have a say in their own careers, to be able to live comfortably, not be forced to do certain things.”
Bio
Nickname: 989 Assassin
From: Saginaw, Michigan
Age: 29
Bouts: 21
Rounds: 111
Wins: 20
Losses: 1
Draws: 0
KOs: 14
KO Ratio: 63.64%
Height: 6′ 2″ / 188cm
Reach: 77″ / 196cm
