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In a sarcastic reply, Anthony Joshua dismissed Jermaine Franklin’s knockout threat on Saturday, insisting this was the “worst time” to take on Franklin.
“The more he talks, the bigger grave he digs for himself but it is what it is. I could say a lot about him but I respect my opponent. It is not for me to talk, it is for you to do all the talking and for me to do my job on Saturday. That is really honestly what I am focused on from round one to round 12.
“I am prepared for a 12-rounder but believe in my ability, counter-punching and all that type of stuff to definitely put a dent in Jermaine. But I am not here to talk, I am here to do what I have to do because I really want to win. It is the worst time to face me,” Joshua said.
Having lost his previous two fights to Oleksandr Usyk, Joshua is looking to bounce back after consecutive losses to the Ukrainian. On Wednesday afternoon, Joshua faced his American opponent at a press conference at Portland Square in the city centre.
At the O2 Arena, this weekend will see the return of the former heavyweight champion to the ring. There is, however, no world title on the line for the first time since 2015 and for the first time since 2015.