AJ needs a knockout in the first half of the fight really, to make some statement. If he loses or edges a close one, he might as well retire. Franklin has a good record, but AJ knows it's **** or bust tonight. A win will get him hopefully some decent domestic fights this year such as Joyce and Dubois.
The fact you are saying if he loses he may aswell retire is exactly the attitude that stops fights being made.
Comfortable win, but not much there for me, to convince me he’s elite level. His knockout power has left him, which was his only weapon really. Usyk, Fury, Wilder, Joyce, all beat him for me.
He’d get sparked early by Wilder and Fury would absolutely toy with him. It would be embarrassing in either fight. He spoke the other day about potentially fighting Joyce. He also beats him. I’ll eat my hat if he fights any of them. It’ll be Whyte again. Which nobody needs to see. Both are in the mud. And yes, I know Fury/Usyk is a shambles etc etc. They’re fighting in Saudi this winter though. Both will fight a knock over in between.
Seems slower now. Easier to hit, not that he was ever that great defensively. Slower, easy to tag and less power. He’d be a sitting duck against the rest of the top six or seven. I enjoyed his fights but he’s not the same fighter now for me. Time to go, he’s had a great career and has nothing to prove nor need to risk his health for a few more quid. He’s not at the top table anymore so really that makes it pointless for him.
Hesitancy makes him easier to hit. In his early career people were afraid of his knock out power and avoided engaging. Agree about him not fighting Fury/Wilder. Without being aware of the rankings I’d like to see him fight Dubois who is, I believe, being touted as a mandatory for Usyk.
I've really gone off Fury this past 12 months, really loved his story about his comeback, won me back over, but my god he is a ****. But he'd be all over Joshua like a rash unfortunately for AJ. Didn't need to add the first bit but needed to get it off my chest...
Not sure why AJ ***** about with his weight last time he was this weight in 2017 against Takam he struggled big time too
I don’t think he’s the force he once was, been knocked out & outboxed twice can do that to a fighter but he’s still good & relevant. Even if I see him as an underdog I still want to see him face all of Fury, Joyce & Wilder. Such a shame we never got Joshua v Wilder when they were both knocking almost everyone out & undefeated. And such a shame we never got Fury - Joshua for all 4 belts. That’s boxing for you. At least we got Fury - Chisora 3 & we’ll get Joshua - Whyte 2 though!
He won convincingly on points with the judges only giving Frankline 2-3 rounds. He's tentative with going for a KO, but I think that's because he's lost some confidence after a few defeats, so tries to win by any means necessary, even if that includes plodding through his fight a bit more than his younger days. He needs two more fights this year and not to waste one on a rematch like Fury did in his last nothing fight. He needs to get Eddie on the blower to Frank Warren to face a couple of his domestic fighters this year.
He's not winning another title and he's got more money than he'll ever spend so he should just pack in as carrying on isn't worth the health risk.
I agree but he got an estimated £10m from last night. (Franklin £1m). Not sure what he'd get to fight against Fury but would make a nice final pay day cos he wouldn't get another. He's an estimated wealth of £120m apparently.