Former world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua has announced that he will retire from boxing if he loses to American Jermaine Franklin at London's 02 Arena this week. Joshua is expressing his determination, for which some fans say: like a man!
The battle against Franklin, Joshua's first comeback after consecutive losses to Orekosandr Usyk, was crucial for him while also fighting for his first win since December 2020 (defeating Kubert Prev). Joshua is admitting that if he suffers three consecutive defeats, there is no need to stay on the field.
"I will, if I lose, I will choose to retire, if people want me to go, I will do it," Joshua said. If the fans don't want me anymore, I won't fight, it's not about money. I know that when I announce my retirement, I will feel chills, but I will take care of everyone. Sometimes, the public puts a lot of pressure on me, so when I'm done, the link disappears and I'll love life with a smile. ”
Joshua's friend and current WBO welterweight champion Lawrence Oakley said he had fought Joshua some time ago and knew the situation very well. Okoli believes that although Joshua is under great pressure in the confrontation with Franklin, he still believes that Joshua can cope with it.
"Joshua has been under pressure for a long time, more than 10 years have passed since he won the Olympic gold medal, we have talked about this weekend's competition, Joshua is in a good mood, he is very strong, healthy, he is very prepared, I don't want to say anything, just expect to have a good game," Okoli said. Joshua vs Franklin will be a world-class contest and I can't expect him to settle the fight in Round 1, but I hope Joshua can win in impressive fashion. ”
Johnny Nelson, a former WBO welterweight champion who now serves as a guest commentator on Sky, said he predicted Joshua would win over Franklin, but Nelson believed that if Joshua did lose to his opponent, then he really should choose to retire.
"I hope Joshua can beat his opponent and at the same time think he can do it, but Franklin is 29 years old, has played 22 games, won 21 of them, 14 of which stopped the opponent, his last battle against Dillian White was impressive, people think Franklin won, just I doubt it," Nelson said. Now, the big question is that Joshua, having lost two games in a row, has to re-examine his confidence and think about who I am? Am I here? What am I going to do? For Joshua, it's everything! ”
Nelson added: "Joshua had to go through some mental and emotional turmoil while accepting that he was no longer the best fighter in the world, that he had to line up like any other fighter, and that if he lost to Franklin, Joshua might need to cut in line, but I think he should retire because the mountain is difficult to climb, especially when one has great success, he can't lose, that's inevitable." ”
Nelson mentioned a good word - "cutting the queue", if Joshua really lost to Franklin this week, if he wants to continue fighting, he can only seek a breakthrough again by "cutting the line", and maybe he will become a pure "journeyman", but in the author's opinion, in the case of three consecutive defeats, Joshua does not need to insist anymore, retirement is the ideal way out, it is difficult to imagine Joshua being ridiculed for staying in the ring for tens or millions of pounds, not to mention that he is not bad money at all.