By: Sean Crose

Anthony Joshua returned to the ring on Saturday as the former champion took on American Jermaine Franklin at London’s O2 arena. It was Joshua’s first professional fight since dropping two in a row to Oleksandr Usyk.

The first round saw the far taller Joshua playing it patient, appearing at ease as he fired off his jab. Franklin’s hands were fast, but he wasn’t as yet able to get in on the former world titlist. Joshua was searching for a time and place to strike with his power shots in the second. He was able to connect well at around the halfway point of the chapter. Franklin, however, was able to land himself in the last minute of the round. Joshua continued to push the action behind his jab in the third.

The pace remained rather slow in the fourth. Indeed, each man appeared hesitant to let his hands go. It looked by the fifth as if Franklin simply wouldn’t or couldn’t get through Joshua’s jab. Franklin was able to land well on occasion, but he wasn’t landing enough. With that in mind, Joshua landed a hard, straight right of his own around the halfway point of the round. Each man gave looks and occasional shots to each other in the sixth.

Joshua, hoping to wear his man down, leaned on Franklin in the seventh. Was he beginning to tire himself? He had come into the fight at his heaviest weight, after all. He continued to hold in the eighth. It would have been interesting to see Franklin become more active, but for the moment at least, that certainly was not to be the case. By the end of the round, however, it was clear that Joshua’s holding was becoming excessive.

More holding in the ninth. It appeared that Joshua was willing to do whatever he could get away with to get his man out of there by wearing Franklin down. Franklin was able to rock the towering Londoner in the final minute, but, again, he was unable to put anything together. Joshua came alive in the tenth, landing hard and effectively. Franklin returned fire, but the round was Joshua’s. A terrific body shot from the former titlist looked like it may have hurt Franklin in the eleventh. The American was able to keep fighting, though, if not to wonderous effect.

The twelfth and final round wasn’t all that different than most of the previous rounds. Franklin didn’t throw too many shots. Joshua jabbed and held. The Englishman landed a strong uppercut on Franklin, but Franklin kept on his feet – and remained on his feet until the final bell. The judges ended up ruling in favor of Joshua courtesy of a unanimous decision.

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