BOXING

Anthony Joshua conquers Jermaine Franklin but fails to convince

Anthony Joshua (GB) beat Jermaine Franklin (USA) by unanimous decision
After consecutive defeats to Usyk, Joshua got his career back on track to an extent by defeating Franklin
After consecutive defeats to Usyk, Joshua got his career back on track to an extent by defeating Franklin
TIMES PHOTOGRAPHER MARC ASPLAND

Anthony Joshua took his first tentative step back towards the summit of the heavyweight division last night at the O2 Arena, but a victory over Jermaine Franklin offered few promising assurances of the climb.

A clear and deserved winner on the scorecards, Joshua’s technical and physical superiority was unmistakable, but this was hardly the spectacular knockout required to alleviate the scar tissue accrued in recent years. Instead, Franklin was surprisingly sharp and resilient and, even as his potency waned in the later rounds, the blood that trickled from Joshua’s nose and stained his white shorts was a testament to the American’s effort.

Chaos threatened before the judges’ decision could be read aloud — 118-111, 117-111, 117-111 in Joshua’s favour — in a scene strangely reminiscent