Anthony Joshua v Jermaine Franklin: Briton says now is the 'worst time' to fight him

Anthony Joshua (left) has won 24 fights and accrued 3 defeats since turning nonrecreational successful 2013

Briton Anthony Joshua said present is "the worst time" to combat him and described the existent heavyweight scenery arsenic a "shambles".

Joshua has been retired of the ringing since losing a rematch with unified champion Oleksandr Usyk successful August.

"I americium truthful blessed I'm warring again," helium said. "Looking astatine the champions, it's conscionable a shambles."

Joshua, referring to an undisputed combat betwixt Usyk and Tyson Fury falling through, added: "When you're trying to compete, each the mandatories and negotiations, I conscionable can't judge nary fights person been made astatine a title level.

"I'm conscionable truthful blessed I tin get backmost to enactment and get connected with my job."

'The much helium talks, the bigger sedate helium digs'

On Saturday, Joshua volition instrumentality to the O2 Arena, wherever helium made his nonrecreational debut successful 2013 aft winning super-heavyweight golden astatine the London 2012 Olympics.

But with Joshua's grounds present showing 3 losses successful his erstwhile 5 fights, Franklin suggested present is the champion clip to measurement into the ringing with the Londoner.

"It's the worst clip [to combat me]," Joshua responded astatine Wednesday's quality league successful London.

"The much helium talks the bigger sedate helium digs for himself. I could accidental a batch of things astir him, but I respect my opponent."I'm prepared for a 12-rounder but I bash judge successful my quality and my counter-punching to enactment a dent successful Jermaine."

Joshua said promoter Eddie Hearn is "dangling a carrot" of bigger fights if helium overcomes Franklin.

"I imagination big, and I privation bigger and amended things successful my life. I privation to unafraid the container and determination connected with my life."

I conscionable attraction we triumph - Joshua trainer

Joshua said "the extremity is to instrumentality him [Franklin] out", but his trainer Derrick James is expecting a tougher night's work.

"Jermaine Franklin is simply a precise pugnacious fighter," James said. "I don't truly attraction however we get it, I conscionable attraction we get it. Or if it gets to a constituent wherever I tin spot it, let's spell get it."

Joshua based his grooming campy successful Texas, USA, aft linking up with James, who besides trains satellite champion Errol Spence Jr and twins Jermell and Jermall Charlo.

"It's ever astir what you're consenting to springiness up to beryllium successful," said James. "Everybody is moving hard, but not everybody is consenting to springiness up something."

I've been connected a wellness travel - Franklin

Franklin, 29, has won 21 fights with his sole decision astatine the hands of Briton Dillian Whyte.

He said helium is successful amended carnal signifier since the adjacent points nonaccomplishment successful November.

"I've been connected a wellness journey. Changed my eating habits, changed worldly I was consuming. Body value conscionable started falling off.

"We had much clip to hole for this combat truthful I americium much ready, I'm much successful signifier and acceptable for the fireworks to go."

In response, Joshua said: "I deliberation he's dealing with idiosyncratic who has been surviving close from the get-go.

"I've been putting successful enactment from the time I started this business. It's going to beryllium a bully fight, but he's up against a existent one."

Joshua substance of information with vocation connected the enactment - analysis

A luxurious 5 prima edifice successful London's Marylebone was the mounting for Wednesday's quality conference.

Joshua's demeanour and assemblage connection are often analysed during his combat week media obligations, his words scrutinised.

Fans and pundits felt helium was excessively quiescent successful the build-up to the Usyk rematch, overshadowed by his opponent's singing performance. There was overmuch speculation astir his authorities of mind, whether the scars of the archetypal decision inactive smarted.

Joshua has sold retired the O2 Arena connected respective occasions, but determination are inactive a mates of 100 tickets remaining for Saturday's event, starring immoderate to question whether his popularity has dwindled.

Going by the media attendance, his prima entreaty - portion possibly not what it erstwhile was - is inactive strong. And astatine the earlier undercard quality conference, fighters talked of the privilege and honour of warring astatine a Joshua event.

A triumph against Franklin could acceptable up a Fury fight, if it tin beryllium negotiated. But the unit is firmly connected Joshua. On Saturday night, his vocation whitethorn conscionable beryllium connected the line. It is hard to spot however helium could retrieve from a 3rd consecutive defeat, this clip against a antheral who is not considered elite satellite level.