Anthony Joshua was back to winning ways against Jermaine Franklin, yet where was the power, the destructive force, the knockout statement from the two-time former heavyweight world champion?
The power is there, clearly, but Joshua’s application of his punches based on the strategy and game plan with new trainer Derrick James showed a degree of caution. The key is that Joshua has stopped throwing combinations, that the “killer instinct” does not appear to be there. Purely mental.
There are likely scars there from previous defeats; he still looks troubled by them, it appears, through his hesitancy, and there may be psychological damage still being felt by Joshua. After three rounds on Saturday night, Franklin looked the hungrier fighter. Joshua rarely stamped his authority in those early rounds, and he was hesitant, throwing single punches. He needed more combination-punching.
This was billed as ‘New Dawn’ yet Joshua 3.0 is a different beast from the one who bulldozed and hammered, carefree with his fists (and crucially, combinations) between 2015 and 2018 when he bludgeoned seven of eight opponents into stoppages. Dillian Whyte, Wladimir Klitschko, Alexander Povetkin amongst those technical knockout victories. From the outside, observing Joshua, the caution of jabbing his way through contests has been there since he was felled four times by Andy Ruiz in his first professional career defeat in 2019.
Heavyweight boxing has always been different from all other boxing. These are the big men, more weight carries more power (the laws of physics) and the thrill of heavyweight boxing has always been that it brings knockouts. Joshua himself told me minutes after his points victory that he was disappointed by his own performance. Namely, because he wanted a KO.
“Maybe I could have let my hands go more,” Joshua offered at the post-fight interview session. He knows. “Deep, deep down I’m not happy because nothing tops a knockout – there were opportunities, I pushed, but I went in with someone who had a plan. But I wish I could have taken him out. If I see a wounded animal I go for the kill. If I could have, I would have… but it is good to be back and climbing the ladder again.” Would have, could have…
Reflecting back, Joshua admitted: “When I fought [Wladimir] Klitschko [whom he stopped], I was different. Against [Kubrat] Pulev [who he stopped in the ninth round], I gassed out throwing 200 punches. Sometimes you throw the kitchen sink and opponents have the will to survive. It’s a sport where you want to get KOs but sometimes you have to box to a plan. Even Mike Tyson went 12 rounds sometimes…”
But Tyson, as Joshua used to have, had the aura of a wrecking-machine. And that preyed on the minds of opponents.
Yes, without doubt there are some positives. Like his stamina in this fight. Joshua is not a pure boxer, he is a huge athletic, big-punching athlete. His size and strength ought to dictate that he should attack more; claim more KOs; be more decisive. It’s what he wants; it’s what his fans want.
And the expectation with Joshua is always huge.
Yet in order to do so, the fighter must commit. There are few single punch knockout artists in heavyweight boxing at present. Arguably, the American Deontay Wilder is the only one, a pure one-punch destroyer. Wilder keeps it simple, edges into range and has shown with his right hand, left hook, and uppercut, that he can take an opponent out. To a certain extent, Dillian Whyte loads up his punches, and has a knockout left hook, pivoting and torquing through his bodyweight. Of the other leading heavyweights, who rely on power, Tyson Fury, Joe Joyce and the others wear their opponents down.
Joshua’s rivals will always put the boot in. It’s the nature of the game. Whyte, whom Joshua may step in against next in a rematch this summer, was scathing post-fight. “He has lost all his aggression and killer instinct,” he said. “His train is coming to its final stop. If he fights anyone with hunger and ambition and dog in them, they will beat him.” Whyte was likely referring to himself. “It was a terrible performance,” he added. “I’m ready to fight him, all ready.”
Former heavyweight champion David Haye, one of the exponents of knockout power, believes Joshua and Whyte should fight next, too, and that it may bring out the best in Joshua. “Whyte-Joshua makes perfect sense, the purists want it.”
Tellingly, the comments of Joshua’s new trainer Derrick James lend to this being a process, a rebuilding. “KOs are good, but sometimes it’s about game plans. He controlled the whole fight. We now have the foundations and we will build from here.” Let’s hope so. And hopefully to more dramatic effect, because Joshua will need to attack and break down his elite rivals, or face being outboxed, outfoxed, or even knocked out if that “killer instinct” is not there, and at the forefront of his plans.
This article first appeared in The Daily Telegraph