Anthony Joshua expects to weigh in heavier for his fight against Jermaine Franklin than he did for his rematch with Oleksandr Usyk last August.
The former two-time heavyweight champion is searching for his first win over two years against Franklin on Saturday at The O2 arena after suffering consecutive defeats by Usyk. Joshua lost his belts to the Ukranian in September 2021 and failed to win them back in their second fight, stepping on the scale fought at 244.5lb for that fight.
Joshua has weighed around 240lb for most of his professional career, but did fight at the 230lb mark shortly after winning Olympic gold in 2012. 'AJ' expects himself to weigh more than his last fight against Usyk but has insisted that physique has little importance in heavyweight boxing.
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"I feel like in the heavyweight division, it's clear that aesthetics don't win fights," he told reporters. "I think that's been a clear factor in the years I've been relevant in the heavyweight division and other heavyweights have been relevant, the way you look doesn't always determine how you win a fight. I hope his [Franklin] mind in the right place, that's what is important.
"Probably, but I don't really do too many weights in camp. I just do general conditioning, not many weights. The way I look is honestly cause of hitting the heavy bag and sparring I'd say, obviously doing my recovery as well. I eat good, sleep good to let my body repair and heal, when I'm in the boxing gym I put in a lot of work."
Joshua's fight against Frankin is the first time in eight years that he hasn't been booked in a world title fight. 'AJ' hasn't fought at The O2 arena since knocking out Dominic Breazeale in 2016 and he admitted to not being excited for the fight with Franklin as it's not taking place at Wembley Stadium, a venue he sold out for his 2017 fight against Wladimir Klitschko.
"No [I'm not excited] because it's not Wembley. It's a big statement to sell out a stadium, it's a massive dream," he added. What it does for boxing it just shows that it's booming of course I'd love to sell out a stadium again, but I'm not complaining. I'm here to fight, whether it's at Wembley or here for know it is what it is. I've got to take what I've got in front of me, but I'd definitely take Wembley all day."
