Anthony Joshua Vs. Jermaine Franklin tickets go on sale this week for the April 1 game at the O2 Arena in London
Via Huck Allen: This week, ticket will be auctioned off for Anthony Joshua’s comeback fight against highly respected American heavyweight Jermaine Franklin for their title at the O2 Arena in London, England, on April 1.
This will be former two-time heavyweight champion Joshua’s first bout with new trainer Derrick James in his corner, guiding him for the crucial fight with Franklin (21-1, 14 KOs).
Joshua hasn’t competed at the O2 Arena since his seventh-round TKO win over Dominic Breazeale in June 2016. This is the same location where Joshua won his first world title, defeating the champion. IBF heavyweight champion Charles Martin in the second round in just his 16th bout as a pro in April 2016.
Ticket price Joshua vs Franklin
£40, £60, £80, £100, £150, £200, £300, £400 and £800 (VIP). Where to buy tickets: O2 and Virgin Media customers through Priority NOW. Tickets are available through The O2 location pre-sale and AXS pre-sale from Wednesday, February 8 at noon.
General Sale tickets can be purchased through Stage Front and AXS from noon on Thursday, February 9.
Jermaine Franklin narrowly beat Dillian Whyte last November in London in a spirited attempt at the OVO Arena. It was assumed Whyte would fight Joshua next, but Franklin’s performance won over many, including Joshua and his promoter Eddie Hearn.
Joshua (24-3, 22 KOs) hopes to use this bout as a catalyst to take him towards a third world title, which could happen in December.
33-year-old Joshua has lost his last two fights to Oleksandr Usyk, which makes the fight against Franklin essential for him to win.
Needless to say, there was a lot of pressure on Joshua’s shoulders to not only win against Franklin, but to perform well in doing so.
This performance will show whether Joshua is ready to take on the lions at heavyweights like Tyson Fury & Deontay Wilder or he still needs more time with new trainer Derrick James.
AJ becoming world champion is a priority
“The priority is to see AJ become the world heavyweight champion again, but at the same time, the priority is to beat Jermaine Franklin and do well in the O2,” Eddie Hearn told Boxing match.
“AJ will always have the ability because of his star power to compete for the world heavyweight championship. So there is no need for him to try to get into a forced position.
“We know he’s the biggest draw in heavyweight alongside Tyson Fury. You have Deontay Wilder, and of course you have Oleksandr Usyk. I just feel that the opportunity to win the world heavyweight title will come, but I feel that it’s important now to be 100 per cent ready for whoever it may be,” Hearn said.
Franklin was a great choice for Joshua to prepare for a world title win against the winner of the Fury vs Usyk bout. Whether Dillian Whyte will be of much help in achieving that goal, however, remains a question.
Joshua needs a better opponent than the war-torn Whyte if he is to be prepared to dethrone Fury or Usyk. It’s not that Whyte lacks strength.
He can still punch, but his reflexes have slowed down with age, and his resistance to punches is less than desirable for him to be able to actually engage Joshua. Whyte looks like a prime example of a fighter tired of fighting.
What Joshua needs is one of these heavyweights for his bout in July:
- Filip Hrgović
- Deontay Wilder
- Martin Bakole
- Frank Sanchez
- Jared Anderson
- Arslanbek Makhmudov
“When you look at the individual parts, you see there are a number of requirements,” says Hearn. “Of course, one of them is Filip Hrgovic.
“If Tyson Fury were to fight Oleksandr Usyk, I think you would see the belts get scattered, and that’s when there’s an opportunity to fight for that belt or have a big fight with one of the champions, and that’s the focus of the game. AJ.
Fighting three times in 2023 is the key
“That was the plan and the key,” Hearn said of Joshua’s two more fights in 2023 following his April 1 comeback fight with Jermaine Franklin. “The real important thing is to try to get into position to fight three times this year.
“He hasn’t done that for a long time and through COVID he fights sometimes once a year. I want to see him in action; I want to meet him with motivation, with confidence, and it will all start on April 1st.
“I think he will thrive in O2, I really think so. Again, when you talk about pressure and responsibility, he went from boxing on the bottom card to being a headline at O2 to Wembley to Millenium Stadium to Madison Square Garden, to Riyadh to Daria.
“It was just an unbelievable roller coaster ride of the big stadiums. I think O2 feels like home. He misses that place,” Hearn said of Joshua. “He knows that aisle, he knows that dressing room, and I think he’s going to skip it.
Hearn wants everyone to erase Joshua
“I think you will see an AJ who will enjoy this part of his career, I really do, and the atmosphere is going to be great, and yes, I can’t wait to see him again at the lions. the cave [O2 Arena in London].
“Franklin is very dexterous, he has great mobility and he obviously has a great chin,” Hearn said when asked if Joshua would stop Franklin. “He fought 12 rounds with Dillian Whyte and had some heavy hits there too, but I think you will see a razor sharp Anthony Joshua, I really do.
“I’ve been pretty quiet these days. I’m ready for it. I’m ready to speak out about this young man and I feel he still has what it takes to be a world heavyweight champion.
“Surprised; I feel it’s not disrespect because people feel it’s a lament, but when you look at what he’s achieved and what he’s done for British boxing. this guy is still one of the top three heavyweights in the world, and he has serious ambitions. He has serious potential. should be better.
“I’m excited because I want everyone to erase him because I can’t wait to see him back on April 1st and start his new run to the world heavyweight title,” Hearn said of Joshua.
