Jermaine Franklin’s incorporation of healthier living and eating has seen him lose a reported 24lb ahead of the biggest fight of his career – Anthony Joshua.
The pair will face off in London’s O2 Arena this weekend, with Joshua desperate for a statement victory but the American here to spoil that particular party.
Franklin is known to UK fans for his majority decision loss to Dillian Whyte late last year – one which many had him winning – and has been brought back to this side of the pond by Eddie Hearn to kickstart ‘AJ’s comeback.
The promoter told Boxing Social that seeing the America for his media shots had him slightly worried, though.
“I was excited until I went downstairs and saw Jermaine Franklin having his photos taken, and all of a sudden he’s got an eight-pack. When he boxed Dillian Whyte, he had a belly on him. I’ve just seen him with his kit off – he’s absolutely ripped to shreds.
I don’t know what’s happened. He says he’s lost 24 pounds. And I don’t know if it’s gonna help him or hinder him. Hopefully the latter, because we need AJ to knock him out in style.”
Asked by Boxing Social about Hearn’s comments, Franklin smiled and denied the eight-pack, but said he was halfway there.
The American weighed in at 257lb for the Dillian Whyte fight last November. His previous bout – Rodney Moore in May – saw him touch 277.“Nah, not yet, I probably got like a four-pack. I got to tone it up, though. I’ve just been on a health journey for myself and my family, just losing weight, changing my life, changing what I eat. The weight just was dropping off.”
Franklin had ben out of the ring for two years prior to that return, and in 2019 he would come in at around 240lb relatively consistently.
Should the 24lb weight loss be accurate, fight fans will see him return to that trimmer physique of old.
Because he’s fought around there before, the weight he comes in at is likely not going to hurt him in the ring, and perhaps provide a little more speed to roll with the shots of Joshua.
His gas tank won’t be in question after going the distance with Whyte, but he’s made it clear that he wants to put an end to the contest early.