An upcoming heavyweight clash between former interim WBC champion Dillian Whyte and unbeaten American boxer Jermaine Franklin is nearly finalized for the 26th of November.
The 28-year-old Franklin is a fighter who was mentioned as an option for the next opponent for Whyte (28−3, 19 KOs) after a failed set-up with Otto Wallin.
The fight with Franklin would allow Whyte to clinch a certain victory, which would keep him in the race for a rematch with Anthony Joshua in 2023. ‘The Body Snatcher’ has not fought since his loss against Tyson Fury via 6th round TKO last April. Despite the loss, the 35-year-old is ranked No. 7 in the WBC rankings.
“We are very close to finalizing a deal for Jermaine Franklin to face Dillian Whyte in London on November 26 on DAZN,” Franklin’s promoter Dmitriy Salita told Lord Ping, “If you have not heard of Jermaine Franklin you’re about to discover a fighter who is destined for big things. We have a future heavyweight champion on our hands.”
“Jermaine is young, hungry, skilled and has waited patiently for his opportunity. I believe there is no better opponent for him to face than Whyte at this stage of his career. We respect Whyte, he’s experienced and his left hook is one of the best in the business,” Salita added.
It is unclear why Whyte’s team wants a fight with Franklin, as he is not well known in the United States despite being from there. Considering the puncher’s chance in combat sports, Franklin might even pull off a shocker against Whyte if he targets the chin.
Losing to a lesser-known fighter like Franklin would be disastrous for Whyte’s future, who has already been knocked out in two of his last three fights by Alexander Povetkin and Fury.
Franklin, is still undefeated in his professional career, displaying a record of 21 victories, including 14 by knockout. Hailing from Saginaw, Michigan, Franklin has a notable win over Jerry Forrest, a former opponent of Carlos Takam. However, apart from Forrest, Franklin has never faced a boxer in the TOP 100.
