Anthony Joshua vs Jermaine Franklin tonight: Latest undercard fight results and updates

On the big screens at the O2 Arena, Joshua’s career highlights are being shown.

A lot of big knockouts from the Briton’s rise to the top. Every fan here wants – and many expect – another one of those tonight.

Next up, the main event: Anthony Joshua vs Jermaine Franklin.

Joshua is looking to get back to winning ways in London tonight. The Briton, 33, last achieved a win in 2020 and has since suffered back-to-back defeats by Oleksandr Usyk. The Ukrainian took the unified heavyweight titles from “AJ” with a decision win in 2021 before retaining the belts with another points victory over Joshua last August, leaving the former Olympic champion to switch up his trainer in pursuit of a morale-boosting performance. As such, Derrick James will be in Joshua’s corner tonight.

Meanwhile, American Franklin enters the O2 Arena on the back of a controversial loss to Dillian Whyte – the first defeat of the 29-year-old’s career. Franklin suffered a majority-decision loss to Whyte in the English capital in November, when the winner was set to be rewarded with a fight against Joshua. Despite his defeat, and with many believing he had done enough to win, Franklin was paired with AJ anyway.

Can the American secure the biggest victory of his career? Or will Joshua take the first step back towards a world-title fight?

We’ll find out very shortly… Don’t go anywhere!

Whyte: “Clarke, he has the amateur pedigree. We want to build Fabio up. Frazer has the amateur experience, Fabio has the professional experience.

“Coffie showed him different things. He’s a way heavier puncher than Clarke.”

Wardley is asked about potential fights with Frazer Clarke, David Adeleye and Solomon Dacres:

“I want to win the belt outright, do it in style, against good opponents, good fights like Nathan Gorman. Competitive, the British title holds prestige. You can only do it justice in the right fights. I welcome all comers.”

Wardley on whether it was an early stoppage:

“Slightly. He’s experienced, tricky, slippery. He was half-there, 30 seconds left, I would have finished him off.

“Either way, the job’s done. He’s a tricky operator, he can switch stances, high guard, there was a lot to think about.

“I found my spots. I could have closed the show. A win’s a win.”

Tony Bellew and Dillian Whyte disagree with that stoppage!

Bellew: “[Referee] Howard Foster has stolen Fabio Wardley’s thunder. That was a really poor stoppage from Howard Foster. Coffie has his wits about him, maybe he should have thrown some punches back…”

Whyte: “I think it was early, Fabio could have sent a message. The referee has a job to do, but sometimes they’re edgy and nervous. They should let the fight go five to 10 more seconds. [Coffie] is slick, they ride a lot of shots.”

The O2 Arena seems about 75 percent full as it stands.

Wardley lands a cross to the body. Coffie’s corner are calling on him to breathe…

He eats a trio of right hooks to the head, though, while he’s backed up against the ropes!

Wardley pours on more punches, and they turn into an onslaught! Coffie isn’t defending himself especially intelligently, and the referee waves off the fight!

As with the last round, Wardley is the first off his stool and in the centre of the ring. He looks fresher than Coffie.

And Wardley starts brightly, burying hooks into the body of Coffie, who fires back with hooks to the head! One appears to stun Wardley somewhat, and some crowd members express a bit of concern!

Warley ties up Coffie, though, buying himself time before separating. He catches Coffie on the end of a big right hand, as the American circles away.

The pair trade jabs now. A left hook gets through for Coffie, then a stinging jab. Sweat is dripping off the American, but he comes forward and tags Wardley with hooks to the ribs.