Former two-time unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua (25-3, 22 KOs) won a lackluster twelve round unanimous decision over Jermain Franklin (21-2, 14 KOs) on Saturday night at the O2 Arena on London. Now under the tutelage of new head trainer Derrick James, ‘AJ’ was content to keep Franklin on the end of his piledriver jab for most the fight. Lots of holding, not many exchanges. Scores were 118-111, 117-111, 117-111.
Unbeaten heavyweight Fabio Wardley (16-0, 15 KOs) won by fourth round TKO over Michael Polite-Coffie (13-4, 10 KOs) in a bout for the vacant WBA Continental title. Wardley opened up in round four and got a very quick stoppage from referee Howard Foster. Coffie didn’t appear hurt.
Unbeaten 2020 Olympic gold medal star Galal Yafai (4-0, 3 KOs) got a referee’s stoppage after dropping Moises Calleros (36-11-1, 19 KOs) in round four of a super flyweight bout. Time was:44.
Unbeaten super lightweight Campbell Hatton (11-0, 4 KOs) took out Louis Fielding (10-8, 1 KO) with a body shot in round one. HAtton is the son of ring legend Ricky Hatton.
Middleweight Austin “Ammo” Williams (14-0, 10 KOs) dropped River Wilson-Bent (14-3-1, 6 KOs) in round seven and Wilson-Bent’s corner threw in the towel after more punishment in round eight.
Cruiserweight Benoit Huber (9-3, 6 KOs) surprised previously unbeaten Juergen Uldedaj (15-1, 6 KOs), winning an eight round 77-75 decision.
Heavyweight Peter Kadiru (15-1, 8 KOs) was victorious when Alen Lauriolle (6-2, 3 KOs) didn’t come out for round two.
Other Results:
John Hedges W8 Daniel Bocianski (light heavyweight)
Jordan Flynn W8 Kane Baker (super featherweight)
Ziya Almaayouf W4 Georgi Velichkov (super lightweight)
Great job by the referee saving Wardley’s undefeated record.
You know / I think that could have be correct. Coffee was not even slightly hurt and was riding all the punches. He was clever and had a plan to allow Wardley to get tired. And take him in the later rounds. It may well have worked. Terrible stoppage
I am tired of these UK stoppages. Coffee was giving a good account of himself and he gets hit a couple of times and they stop it? This happens too much in the UK.! I love what Eddie Hearn and Matchroom have done for boxing in the UK but these quick stoppages that happen as soon as a fight is getting good is not right! Imagine if it was Wardley who got hit like that and they stopped it? We all know that would not happen!
I would now like to see Coffee and Franklin fight on an undercard over there…both guys get a decent pay…why not?
A comment I would like to add…I can handle when there is some home cooking. Bad decisions, bad announcing. I do not like itbut I can handle it. But when the referee is bad and biased I get angry…why? Because in the other cases I still get the see the fight. The announcers can have an agenda, the judges can rob the guy all bad but at least I can see a good fight and make my own judgement as can the public. I wanted to see if Wardley punched himself out and if Coffee would then come back. Remember Bowe – Holyfield round 10 fight 1? That does not happen with a ref like Howard Foster if Bowe is on the A side as a Brit! I do not know what would have happened in this fight…that is my point but it could have been entertaining and I feel we were cheated!
The UK is the worst place for a foreign Boxer -in any close fight the decision goes to the Brit-shameless bunch!
Take off the rose tinted glasses USA is far worse
Rubicon and Pete
I’m taking it that you guys are American.
The US has the worst reputation for cheating foreign fighters out of decisions, maybe look at your own country before attacking the UK.
Paul, glad there are more brits on here now. I stopped commenting a while ago after years of fight news. The bias even amongst the guys and gals and even those know their boxing was very heavy.
I recall even things like Bute v Froch, and Bute is Canadian , everyone backed Bute, and I was the sole voice saying Froch. Yes there are some crap uk judges who have made some dubious decisions. But not in comparison to the dodgy judges a lot in the stateside fights.
Actually I am Canadian! And yes bad decisions happen everywhere…but I am not really complaining about decisions, I am complaining about the referee! In my opinion he ruined a good fight and it seems to a a common issue on the UK cards. They jump in just when the fight is getting good. I did not care which fighter won..I just wanted a definitive fair and entertaining conclusion!
AJ is done, well actually he was done after Ruiz, he never recovered psychologically from getting hurt and stopped.. All his fights afterwards he has looked scared to open up, let his hands go and possibly get caught on the button. I would still like to see him get ktfo by wilder or fury just for the fun of it.
Son says he never been the same after Wlad knocked him down.
I agree. He told his team after fighting Wlad that he would never do that again.
A bit of advice for referee Howard Foster: Just because one fighter is wailing away it does not mean you have to panic and stop the fight. Coffie was not hurt. Almost as if we cannot go through a fight card these days without some reminder of ‘why’ boxing is no longer a major sport.
I’m pretty confident Foster knew that Coffie wasn’t in any trouble.
AJ’s career is winding down.
Fury’s ducking Usyk. Not sure he will box again.
UK boxing business needs a new heavyweight to make money from.
No one should be surprised by the outcome of this event.
Not sure if he’s ducking him or not. He def wanted Joshua to win because that fight with Fury is worth way more than the Usyk fight. They’ll go to SA and get 100 mil. Only hope the winner fights Usyk and unifies. Usyk is a tougher fight too.
AJ’s performance was anemic at best. Sad to see, but true. Time to move one to more hungry opponents who want to make a difference.
Michael, the UK is stacked in the Heavyweight Division! They certainly didn’t need a quick stoppage. I’m not certain that Coffie was going to gas him out, but I definitely would have liked to see the whole fight.
As for the “this always happens in the UK” crowd, I’d say you’re overreacting. Even the Brits on this site are saying it was a bad stoppage, the Commentators said it and Wardly himself admitted it was early. Hopefully, Hearn runs it back. I think Coffie and the fans deserve it. Even Wardly deserves it!
Terrible stopagge.
Nah. Coffie knew what the circumstances were going to be when he signed the contract.
A few years ago, I would have felt sympathy for Coffie. No longer. There is no reason for him to take that fight. His team has to of known that if he didn’t KO Wardley, he would have received a “L” on his record.
No different than the Samoan guy that beat up Antonio Mireles last weekend.
It may be true that Coffie would’ve needed a KO. But, he still had plenty of time to get one and wasn’t given the chance.
Coffie wasn’t going to get a KO. That’s my point.
People that are upset at the outcome of this fight are the same kind of person that got upset over the pass interference call at the end of this year’s Super Bowl.
It’s not corruption. It’s just the business of the sport.
If that referee worked Muhammad ali’s fights ..ali would have 15 losses in Record…
Well, if he reffed the Cooper vs Ali fight, tou would be correct
Totally agree,,,,who can forget the “cut glove”saga when a young Cassius Clay felt “Henrys’ Hammer” !!!
Jordan Flynn – Kane Baker on the undercard was a great fight. Just a cool, unexpected absolute war.
Best fight of the night tbh!
That was a brutal stoppage by Howard Foster. He shouldnt be anywhere near cards of this level in the future.
I think he did the job he was hired to do. Pretty much guaranteed more work.
Howard Foster always stops fights early unfortunately
Jermaine Franklin major victory
Fight was stopped super fast smh
So far awful fight
Joshua jab/hold/jab/hold
Both fighters are losing better rd 10
He was there only to win, nothing else, and he got what he wanted.He does not have any killer instinct, he only wants to make as much as possible before he gets K.O’d.
Understand your opinion…..fight could also be a barometer of where Joshua is and how far Joshua needs to go to compete at a high level against…time shall time…now Joshua is not ready for the top dogs of the division..this fight shows that…one step at a time…Is this a progressive step….yes….next fight may be a better indicator of his decline or progression…
*Compete at a high level again
Joshua always fights stiff did have a good jab but nothing else boring dec win for Joshua coming
Stiff , slow; scared
Joshua got the W but should have had points deducted due to excessive holding
Joshua didn’t look so good. He looks a bit like Wlad did at the very end of his career. Still a great jab, lots of holding, but looking kind of lethargic. The problem is that set in around age 38 for a Wlad, and Joshua is much younger.
just about as expected. easy….
maybe franklin will keep training and get into professional athlete condition/shape.
I was not impressed with AJ, too cautious, holding Jermain’s neck while punching, too much holding.
The holding I understand because Franklin kept diving in for AJ’s armpit. It was frustrating to watch AJ land but not put any punches together.
I’d rather watch paint dry than watch anotherJoshua fight.
Wilder would knock him out in under 3 and Fury in under 8.
The hype is/was more than the talent. Retire Anthony, you S U C K.
Very slow and boring fight for AJ. He should probably get one last big fight against either wilder or Tyson Fury and call it a career.
I’ve been a boxing fan for over 50 years and I’ve never seen a fighter hold behind the head and punch their opponent as much as Joshua did without even getting a warning. He didn’t need to do that in order to win this fight, and I’m sure that I’m not the only one who lost respect for AJ today.
The HW division is in a dreadful state and really needs an infusion of skilled well conditioned fighters because it’s woefully lacking right now.
Something learned from Lennox.
Ali didn’t punch behind the head but he did more hold than Joshua does and never got a warning.
Pad his record with lower level competition. I think a rematch with Dillian Whyte would be in order.
Why rematch Whyte when he just easily beat a guy that clearly beat Whyte (and was robbed). Joshua was boring but he won. I think a similar fight style would also work to win against Wilder, who really is not as good of a boxer as Franklin.
I fell asleep twice on the couch..
Frustrating to watch Joshua reminds me a little of bronzer won’t throw punches. Has a good jab but fights stiff on the ring like he is never warmed up reminds me of Herschel walker fast but no lateral movement
Plotting a little bit like foreman without the killer instinct
Only way for him to improve would to stop lifting all the time and try to get light on his feet
He looks like his feet are stuck in sand
Hard to explain that’s the best analysis I can give you
He reminds me a lot of Goofi Whitaker. I think AJ hits harder but Goofi moved better and stayed busier.
Lol Foreman was never stiff like Joshua and didn’t plod in like Joshua. Foreman actually had foot movement and tried to cut off the ring.
I never said that read again
Totally agree…watched a young Foreman teaching kids footwork…very calculated..precise steps ….no “plodding” Foreman was one of the best boxers in history….knew how to fight
Another boring DAZN card, not to mention poor refs.
That’s what a depressed boxer looks like.
AJ should not box again.
When will the fools that think Usyk can beat Tyson Fury understand that Joshua wasn’t a real measuring stick.
Wilder will destroy Usyk the first time he lands a bomb and he wi land one in the first few rounds.
Fury will blow him out from the beginning of round 1.
Joshua sucks unfortunately.
Usyk is a highly skilled fighter. Fury is not and he knows it. It’s pretty obvious that Fury doesn’t want to fight Usyk or anyone else with very good boxing skills.
Fury not a highly skilled fighter??? Thanks for the laugh!!
If you think throwing slapping punches like Fury does is being skilled then either you are a 13 year old kid who doesn’t watch much boxing or you are just some biased European boxing fan.
Doesn’t have classic skills but is 6’9 with very good head movements and knows how to use every bit of his physical advantages
Ask whyte about the uppercut that knocked him out and wilder who got koed if it was a pity pat slap
So he KOed Wilder with slaps… OK.
Bring on joshua vs Whyte 2let them settle the personal issues and score make or break fight for both of them the winner fight wilder or ruiz or fury if he hasn’t retired
If Lawrence Okolie goes up to heavyweight and fights Anthony Joshua it could be the most boring fight in the history of British boxing. These two have stunk out british boxing two weekends in a row.
Don’t get silly now. Nothing will ever be more boring than Lewis vs Akinwade
SUPER DOOPER SLEEPER
THE INLYONE WHO IMPRESSED IN THIS WAS FRANKLIN, in the fact that he could go the distance
Anyone who thinks Joshua is gonna be champ again is SMOKIN ON DAT SHIT!!!!
for aj at this point in his career you can’t build him back up, he made a living fighting guys that stood right in front of him, fighters know their chin and gas tank, he seems gun shy, and worried bout getting tired in this fight, fury would have aj gassed in 6 rds. he had a great run, and made a shit load of money, be happy with that, but.
Not good looking on joshua! It was supposed to be a one sided easy beatdown KO win! Joshua should keep himself away from top 10 ranked fighter or rlse he’ll be destroyed easily. Eddy hearn should try to get him straight into a tittle bout for one last great paycheck with joshua. All joshua has left in him is an overmarketed name and that he was once champion, other than that is that he’s less than C- fighter.
I don’t know about C-level, but your premise is correct. Unless he’s really good at alphabet games, he’s not winning another title.
With the size, tools, physique…Joshua just doesn’t have “it”. Nice fighter, can beat the second tier guys. The Frank Bruno of his generation.
AJ can’t even hype his own self, just by observation he looks so uninterested, no energy or excitement…looks like he is done and is at that point when people go to work just cause they meed the money to pay the bills but once they are at work its so frustrating being their, that feeling is the worse working and not being happy doing it
I would not be interested in him going against Fury or Wilder it won’t live up to the once potential
Just caught the fight(pre recorded) and watched it without volume as I always do. Joshua fought very unsure of himself. It looked like he was struggling against his own judgement. He was never light-footed, but there was zero spring in his movements. Punches lacked snap and barely had authority.
Franklin to his credit moved well but wasted too much time trying for a highlight reel knockout although he was outgunned. No serious pressure added in order to tire AJ out.
Overall, a good glorified sparring session in front of a large crowd that served as a confidence booster for Joshua. I would get him right back in withing the next 4 months vs a top 20 – 10 fighter and nothing higher in order to get him back mentally.
I wish him the best in whatever he decides to do after this fight, be it retirement or fight 3 more times tops.
Agree Peter…good post…Don’t know why everyone is expecting to see Joshua immediately at the top again….Joshua need to progress….to top level competition …
Joshua is no draw card, more like a board card. Wilder does him in 2!.
I saw some improvement in Joshua-more energy more commitment and some different variations in combos-In think his new coach will go further with him meanwhile a good hard workout readying for the next stage
what has wardley proven fighting a fighter eight years older!!??
Anthony Joshua is not a great fighter. His height, big muscles, and well-defined physique suggest that he could be as dominating and overpowering as the young George Foreman was before Foreman lost to Ali, but Joshua lacks the natural ability, mean intentions and intensity, technique, and will, to be such a fighter. He’s too mechanical, as if he fights from a script. He also has a weak chin. He has suspect endurance because of his thick, heavy muscles from weightlifting. It’s no wonder that he chooses to pace himself, rely on the jab and holding, and settle for a lackluster decision. Oh well, a win is a win. I doubt that we will ever see him in the ring with Fury or Wilder. I don’t think he has the skills to overcome Fury’s height and weight advantage. He also doesn’t have the ability or chin to defend himself against Wilder’s rage, power, intensity, and ferociousness. It will be interesting to see where he goes from here, but he’s getting older, not better.
FFS people,AJ boxed, followed a game plan,and won unanimously.
He did what was needed,get the rounds in the legs, continue building stamina.
Some of the comments here are so rediculous!!
Many people said Franklin beat dillian white , Aj needed a win and he got it , and he won comfortably against Franklin , if aj knocked Franklin out in the early rounds you all would have said aj hasn’t been tested , it’s good to see Ajs stamina is getting better, from here on time will tell .
AJ just looked robotic in there and didn’t really let his hands go and land some big shots. If he continues to fight this way vs better fighters, he probably gets KOed or loses a decision. Might be time to take the Fury fight, make some money and then see if he can be a tune-up for Wilder and make some money.
It might be Joshua’s destiny to ko Fury behind that strong jab but you can’t throw one
A thousand jabs a day might do it
That wardley stoppage was junk! WAY too early of a stoppage! Polite-coffie not taking excessive damage and was fighting back and it was a good scrap to that point of the stoppage. Home cookin’ there for sure! Polite-coffie got the shaft.
It’s csrtainly not the first time Howard Foster has stopped a fight farcically early. Maybe he should be accountable for his apparent incompetancy. His decisions are affecting careers
Hmm, I don’t think AJ should continue fighting. Not sure if a new team will help (he’s only 33) but psychologically he just doesn’t have that killer instinct anymore. He’s afraid to get hit.. it seems like he’s trying to box smart, Set traps and then pick it up but No, he’s thinking “I hope I don’t get hit”.. he’s too big, his stamina is not very good and he’s more worried about getting countered than landing his shots. He knows the heavyweights watched his chin get tested and they loved the results. Then he looks around at the crowd.. like he’s thinking too much. I didn’t feel like I was watching a fighter, felt like a normal guy out there pretending to be a fighter. He looks too emotional.. Fighters are a different breed.. he didn’t look like a rematch version of Lennox Lewis. He looked like a mentally broken fighter.. and that last part after the bell. The way he lunged in for the clinch.. his whole demeanor during the fight was strange to me. He needs a break.. don’t get me wrong I like Anthony Joshua.. He’s a cool dude.. but I’m simply commenting on him as a fighter. He’s not going anywhere with that attitude and style that he has now in the ring. Psychologically he never recovered from his loses.. and the fight game is 90% Mental
No wrong stoppage Going in there with a ropeadope gameplan is stupid. Everyone saw what happened to Ali and now people want to prevent it. Dont wanna be competitive ? work at Macdonald’s
I have to agree that AJ looked less than inspired, but before we send him out to pasture we need to ask the question: who in this Division beats him?
Obviously, Usyk is all wrong for him and I think Fury would handle him though it is a fight worth making (especially in the UK!!!), but after those two there are only a few compelling fights:
Wilder: I’d favor him over AJ, but he could also bring out the best in AJ. To me, it’s a pick em and I’d love to see this fight next.
Joyce: Joe might be too slow for AJ, but this is another great fight for the UK. I’d favor AJ, but Joe’s chin and pressure might be able to gas him out and stop him late.
Anderson and Dubois: both would be good challenges, but both might need more seasoning. I’d favor AJ right now.
Bottomline, AJ is still a top 5 Heavyweight and has many interesting opponents to choose from.
Really dont know why there are so many complaints about the referees. After all these are BBBC “A Star” referees
When he became Anthony “The Grim Weeper” Joshua, after Usyk cleaned his clock in the second fight, it was plain that something important had come off inside Joshua’s head.. Seeing his idiotic performance after the final bell versus the game Jermaine Franklin, it appeared that some crucial wires had broken loose and short-circuited in his head’s top 4 inches! He thought he had done well!
So, if I was Anthony Joshua, I would stop calling Tyson Fury out. He might hear you!
That ref was dreadful to Jermaine Franklin too, as he consistently let Joshua hold or pull Franklin’s head or neck down, and throw hooks or uppercuts up into his head at will.
Fight Dempsey MacKean next,a southpaw…… instead of someone you have fought before
AJ cant pull the trigger when the time comes, and AJ s have to stop getting anabolics and stay normally standard testosterone injections. getting hit in the head and anabolic steroids is very bad for any boxers.