Anthony Joshua: ‘People Put Their Own Expectations On Other People’

Anthony Joshua vs. Jermaine Franklin will stream live on DAZN across the world.

It’s fight week in London, which means former unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua and Jermaine Franklin were making their media rounds and taking some photos before Thursday’s press conference. Joshua is now with Dallas-based trainer Derrick James while Franklin is looking to shock the world as he appears to be in the best shape of his life. Both men come into this fight with something to prove, but only one will move forward. At least, we hope so, barring a draw. Here are some of the quotes from the start of the week.

Eddie Hearn, Matchroom Sport Chairman

“We’ve just done the promo shoots downstairs and Jermaine Franklin has a six pack. I don’t know where it has come from. He’s lost 24 pounds. He fought Dillian Whyte and had a nice little belly like most of us and all of a sudden he’s ripped to shreds. He’s talking the right language, he’s telling the guys down there that he’s going to knock ‘AJ’ the f**k out.

"HE'S GOT TO STICK ONE ON THIS GEEZER EARLY"

💥 @EddieHearn looks ahead to Joshua vs Franklin this Saturday.

Watch the full interview HERE ➡️ https://t.co/OvMaxvz5cj#JoshuaFranklin #BoxingFans #AnthonyJoshua pic.twitter.com/hO72egHGl4

— IFL TV (@IFLTV) March 27, 2023

“I think you’re going to see a great fight on Saturday and it is a dangerous fight. There’s a huge amount of pressure on Anthony Joshua on Saturday night and he’s got to stick one of this geezer early and hurt him. This is a real fight. If ‘AJ’ lets him get confident in this fight it is going to be a very difficult fight.

“It’s going to be a completely full house at The O2 on Saturday, it’ll be absolutely rammed. It will be buzzing for ‘AJ’s’ ringwalk. We’re only five days away now. When he ringwalks, check out the energy in that arena, it is going to be electric.”

Anthony Joshua

“If Franklin possesses certain weaknesses I’ll be able to exploit them. It has been difficult over the past few fights to exploit people’s weaknesses because they’re very difficult to catch and pin down but hopefully I’ll be able to exploit Franklin’s weaknesses and show some of my old self.

“At a certain level it’s hard to go into the ring and knock someone out within like ten seconds. There’s a process to getting that knockout and you have to be disciplined. I understand, there’s high expectations. People put their own expectations on other people. People put me in high regard – that’s where the pressure comes from, me having to deliver. I understand that and I’ll do my best for sure.

Witness The Rise 🔥

Only on DAZN, visit https://t.co/2jZogOce8U #AJonDAZN pic.twitter.com/RdXLi1gZcB

— Anthony Joshua (@anthonyjoshua) March 16, 2023

“We put a lot of pressure on ourselves, fighters. Hearing that final bell or hearing the ref count it out is such a high feeling that no amount of money can give you that feeling. It’s true. It’s a mad feeling. Each fight is a new chapter I’d say. Every chapter is so important.

“If Jermaine were to be successful on Saturday night I’d give him the respect he deserves. I’ll make the decision if I want to fight on or not. I feel like I can make that decision. If I want to continue fighting I don’t think it’s up to anyone to dictate to me. I don’t think anyone can tell me what to do in my career anyway.”

Jermaine Franklin

On Dillian Whyte defeat:

“I’m very strong mentally. My team and the fans made me feel okay about the decision. This is boxing, sometimes it happens in boxing. We don’t all get fair shakes. I’ve never really had a fair shake in my whole career. I didn’t cry about it, I didn’t complain about it, I just went back home and started working. You’ve got to knock them out or you’ve got to dominate them in conclusive fashion.”

On size difference:

“He’s only four inches taller than me. He’s 6’6″ and I’m 6’2″. I’ve been sparring big guys my whole career. This is nothing new to me.”

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The grind don’t stop until Joshua drops. It’s fight week. I’m ready to shock the world April 1st on @daznboxing @loadedgloves @matchroomboxing @dmitriy_salita #fyp #fight #boxing pic.twitter.com/ISUuAXu48R

— Jermaine Franklin Jr (Official Pg) (@JermaineFrankl6) March 27, 2023

On Andy Ruiz Jr comparison:

“We’re two different fighters. Me and Andy are two different fighters. We don’t have the same style. Andy probably provides a little more pressure than I do, he fights a little more in spurts. I try to use my jab more and work inside/out.”

On being overlooked:

“I’ve always been overlooked. Personally in my opinion I’ve just got to go out there and show him that I’m not what they think I am. They call me a tune-up and they say I’m going to get knocked out in four or five rounds so I’m just coming here to kick ass and show the world this isn’t it.”

On people saying Joshua should retire if he loses to him:

“I find that disrespectful. People haven’t really seen me. I find it disrespectful that people think that low of me. They think I’m not a great fighter, they think I’m not a good fighter. I find it disrespectful but that is the kind of sport we’re in. We don’t get love like basketball, football and all the other sports. Boxing is more either you’re on top or you’re not.”

On how he feels about Joshua:

“I respect him as a man. I respect all fighters. When people talk shit we talk it back. I’m a fan of the sport. I’ve been a fan of the sport for a long time, way before I ever thought we’d get this fight. I feel like all boxers need a little bit of respect. It’s a tough sport, it’s a real brutal sport and some of us don’t make it out of that ring.”