Marcus Morrison (Middleweight contender)
It doesn’t interest me in the slightest and I wouldn’t be fussed if I missed it. I completely understand that he’s coming off back-to-back losses to Oleksandr Usyk, but Joshua’s a former unified world champion who has consistently fought at world level, and the Franklin fight just isn’t good enough for the paying fight fans, especially if he’s on the hunt to get his titles back. I’d much rather see the Dillian Whyte rematch, and I think a lot of the boxing world agree.
Gary Logan (Former Southern Area welterweight champion)
I’m happy with it. AJ is still marketable and ambitious. Dillian Whyte struggled with Franklin, so AJ having a potential emphatic win over Franklin sets him up nicely for future fights, particularly the Whyte rematch – if Whyte gets another good win also.
Michael Conlan (Featherweight contender)
I like it. I think it’s the right opponent for Joshua to come back against. It’s not an easy fight but it is one he should win. He’ll face a game opponent in Franklin who will make him work for everything. Good matchmaking.
Chris McKenna (Journalist)
It’s a good fight to come back with given he’s on the back of two defeats and changing trainers – and the new coach didn’t want a southpaw. But he should be fighting Deontay Wilder in the summer next and not Dillian Whyte, who is of a similar level to Franklin.