Anthony Joshua vs. Jermaine Franklin | DAZN - 1 April 2023

[orbtastic]

"risk adverse"

lol

It's averse.

[polecateddy]

How is AJ not tested?

It’s not worth labouring the point, but obviously he has never fought Fury and Wilder. Perhaps through no fault of his own as Fury is being very risk adverse. But if you look at Joshua’s record there are a lot of names, but often they were a little past it or probably not up to much to begin with. Not many significant heavyweights before got such an easy run.

Who is a tested heavyweight over the past 7 years in your eyes?

They’re all pretty weak sauce really. Even Usyk would have tested people’s patience in previous eras, as he wins all his fights on points. It’s a bit like if Roy Jones had kept going at heavyweight.

[Ruthless-RKO]

It’s not worth labouring the point, but obviously he has never fought Fury and Wilder. Perhaps through no fault of his own as Fury is being very risk adverse. But if you look at Joshua’s record there are a lot of names, but often they were a little past it or probably not up to much to begin with. Not many significant heavyweights before got such an easy run.

Who is a tested heavyweight over the past 7 years in your eyes?

They’re all pretty weak sauce really. Even Usyk would have tested people’s patience in previous eras, as he wins all his fights on points. It’s a bit like if Roy Jones had kept going at heavyweight.

AJ fought Usyk. He clearly lost them both in my eyes. No way anyone could score the 2nd fight for him.

But he gave it a go.

[The Gratest]

Well 3 people have voted for Franklin to win. Was it the Fury worshippers?

Maybe they’ve see AJ box in the last five years?

Not sure what you mean by that? Can you explain please?

[garethhop]

Eddie said they’ve done over 13,000.

Crazy that AJ can’t sell out the O2 anymore.

I don’t have sympathy though as the ticket prices are stupid. I don’t get how many people can justify paying £350 for a mid-lower tier ticket to watch a fight we’d all be fairly confident about the outcome.

I’m sure it’ll still sell out but even still ticket inflation in sports is crazy at the moment. I paid I think £170 for AJ/Charles Martin and that was for bottom of the lower tier. More than double that now for a fight with less obvious demand. The UFC and WWE ticket prices are crazy too at the moment.

That number is likely to be inflated too with tickets allocated that will actually return for sale.

Wood/Lara has sold really well at decent prices though. Only about 1,000 tickets left for that.

I had a look at the seating map and it looks less than 1,000 left so I’d imagine he’s not counting the cheaper tickets set aside to the undercard fighters in his 13.000. Who knows though.

The 02 ticket map is showing well over half the lower tier still on sale. Plus plenty via Stagefront.

The fight has sold way less than 10,000..Amazing....

[maverick23]

That number is likely to be inflated too with tickets allocated that will actually return for sale.

Wood/Lara has sold really well at decent prices though. Only about 1,000 tickets left for that.

I had a look at the seating map and it looks less than 1,000 left so I’d imagine he’s not counting the cheaper tickets set aside to the undercard fighters in his 13.000. Who knows though.

The 02 ticket map is showing well over half the lower tier still on sale. Plus plenty via Stagefront.

The fight has sold way less than 10,000..Amazing....

Yeah - it’s not sold/selling well at all.

I’m surprised they didn’t make the tickets a bit cheaper for the undercard fighters tickets when it was clear it was going to be a tougher sell than they thought.

Matchroom have prices most of their other shows well in the last 12 months with many tickets at £40 and other ticket bands not being crazy but they’ve massively misjudged this one.

£350 for a ticket in the lower tier for a nothing fight is just stupid.

[mickey1975]

Do you think not working with StubHub has played a part? It was common to go on Sky Sports News telling everyone it has sold out in two minutes and everyone rushed to StubHub. I have only heard of Stagefront through AJ and i know tickets fairly well.

[maverick23]

Do you think not working with StubHub has played a part? It was common to go on Sky Sports News telling everyone it has sold out in two minutes and everyone rushed to StubHub. I have only heard of Stagefront through AJ and i know tickets fairly well.

I’d imagine not being with StubHub won’t be helping it but can’t imagine it’ll have a significant impact on tickets sold.

Just think that after 2 losses AJ isn’t as popular as he once was (the post Usyk 2 stuff and his BLM speech won’t have helped either), they’ve priced the tickets too expensive in relation to the opponent and they’re not getting the Sky Sports hype machine to help with things. Combined with the cost of living crisis at the moment makes it a tough sell.

[garethhop]

I had a look at the seating map and it looks less than 1,000 left so I’d imagine he’s not counting the cheaper tickets set aside to the undercard fighters in his 13.000. Who knows though.

The 02 ticket map is showing well over half the lower tier still on sale. Plus plenty via Stagefront.

The fight has sold way less than 10,000..Amazing....

Yeah - it’s not sold/selling well at all.

I’m surprised they didn’t make the tickets a bit cheaper for the undercard fighters tickets when it was clear it was going to be a tougher sell than they thought.

Matchroom have prices most of their other shows well in the last 12 months with many tickets at £40 and other ticket bands not being crazy but they’ve massively misjudged this one.

£350 for a ticket in the lower tier for a nothing fight is just stupid.

Yep. All to do with what Joshua is being paid no doubt. Someone going to take a hit on this.

[jamesmcdonnell]

I had a look at the seating map and it looks less than 1,000 left so I’d imagine he’s not counting the cheaper tickets set aside to the undercard fighters in his 13.000. Who knows though.

The 02 ticket map is showing well over half the lower tier still on sale. Plus plenty via Stagefront.

The fight has sold way less than 10,000..Amazing....

Yeah - it’s not sold/selling well at all.

I’m surprised they didn’t make the tickets a bit cheaper for the undercard fighters tickets when it was clear it was going to be a tougher sell than they thought.

Matchroom have prices most of their other shows well in the last 12 months with many tickets at £40 and other ticket bands not being crazy but they’ve massively misjudged this one.

£350 for a ticket in the lower tier for a nothing fight is just stupid.

Joshua's team have mismanaged this, and Joshua's greed is his own undoing;

I think he might be finished as a ticket seller now, the casuals don't like losers, and the back to back losses to Usyk, off the back of getting battered not long before by Ruiz, have tarnished his rep big time with the brap brap and casuals.

[keithmoonhangover]

That number is likely to be inflated too with tickets allocated that will actually return for sale.

Wood/Lara has sold really well at decent prices though. Only about 1,000 tickets left for that.

I had a look at the seating map and it looks less than 1,000 left so I’d imagine he’s not counting the cheaper tickets set aside to the undercard fighters in his 13.000. Who knows though.

The 02 ticket map is showing well over half the lower tier still on sale. Plus plenty via Stagefront.

The fight has sold way less than 10,000..Amazing....

1. He's lost three of his last five.
2. He's no longer 'the man'.
3. His opponent isn't inspiring.

It's happened with pretty much ever fighter ever. When you lose, you lose some appeal, the more losses, the less appeal.

[jameswilson]

I had a look at the seating map and it looks less than 1,000 left so I’d imagine he’s not counting the cheaper tickets set aside to the undercard fighters in his 13.000. Who knows though.

The 02 ticket map is showing well over half the lower tier still on sale. Plus plenty via Stagefront.

The fight has sold way less than 10,000..Amazing....

1. He's lost three of his last five.
2. He's no longer 'the man'.
3. His opponent isn't inspiring.

It's happened with pretty much ever fighter ever. When you lose, you lose some appeal, the more losses, the less appeal.

No sky machine behind him either.

[keithmoonhangover]

The 02 ticket map is showing well over half the lower tier still on sale. Plus plenty via Stagefront.

The fight has sold way less than 10,000..Amazing....

1. He's lost three of his last five.
2. He's no longer 'the man'.
3. His opponent isn't inspiring.

It's happened with pretty much ever fighter ever. When you lose, you lose some appeal, the more losses, the less appeal.

No sky machine behind him either.

And he's a fairly quiet guy that doesn't do a lot of click bate interviews. All of that said, you're only as good as your last fight, so if he flattens Franklin, it'll be back to the stadiums for Whyte.

[mickey1975]

1. He's lost three of his last five.
2. He's no longer 'the man'.
3. His opponent isn't inspiring.

It's happened with pretty much ever fighter ever. When you lose, you lose some appeal, the more losses, the less appeal.

No sky machine behind him either.

And he's a fairly quiet guy that doesn't do a lot of click bate interviews. All of that said, you're only as good as your last fight, so if he flattens Franklin, it'll be back to the stadiums for Whyte.

If Aj flattens Franklin that instantly makes Whyte’s ‘victory’ over him look even worse. Along with his complete no show against The Champ, Dill could do with a highlight reel ko himself to sell the fight.

[joshj909]

No sky machine behind him either.

And he's a fairly quiet guy that doesn't do a lot of click bate interviews. All of that said, you're only as good as your last fight, so if he flattens Franklin, it'll be back to the stadiums for Whyte.

If Aj flattens Franklin that instantly makes Whyte’s ‘victory’ over him look even worse. Along with his complete no show against The Champ, Dill could do with a highlight reel ko himself to sell the fight.

Whyte needs a few chinny or potentially easy to KO opponents that are either known to have once been quite good or guys who have a flattering record to go on about but might not be a threat. Pulev, Ortiz, Yoka, Kownacki, McKean, Pero, Kabayel, Kean, Miller. Some easier than others but a few wins over those types of guys gets him back where he needs to be. If he loses then he was never going to get himself back in contention anyway.

[keithmoonhangover]

No sky machine behind him either.

And he's a fairly quiet guy that doesn't do a lot of click bate interviews. All of that said, you're only as good as your last fight, so if he flattens Franklin, it'll be back to the stadiums for Whyte.

If Aj flattens Franklin that instantly makes Whyte’s ‘victory’ over him look even worse. Along with his complete no show against The Champ, Dill could do with a highlight reel ko himself to sell the fight.

Joshua-Whyte will sell out a stadium in the UK, highlight reel KO or not.

[mickey1975]

And he's a fairly quiet guy that doesn't do a lot of click bate interviews. All of that said, you're only as good as your last fight, so if he flattens Franklin, it'll be back to the stadiums for Whyte.

If Aj flattens Franklin that instantly makes Whyte’s ‘victory’ over him look even worse. Along with his complete no show against The Champ, Dill could do with a highlight reel ko himself to sell the fight.

Joshua-Whyte will sell out a stadium in the UK, highlight reel KO or not.

I wouldn’t be so sure of it now. And I mean that, before I’m told it’s because I’m anti AJ. Everyone I have spoken to thinks Whyte is shot. Those who know boxing especially.

[keithmoonhangover]

If Aj flattens Franklin that instantly makes Whyte’s ‘victory’ over him look even worse. Along with his complete no show against The Champ, Dill could do with a highlight reel ko himself to sell the fight.

Joshua-Whyte will sell out a stadium in the UK, highlight reel KO or not.

I wouldn’t be so sure of it now. And I mean that, before I’m told it’s because I’m anti AJ. Everyone I have spoken to thinks Whyte is shot. Those who know boxing especially.

I agree that Whyte is shot, but two British boxers in a high profile fight sells. Always has, always will.

[skanksta]

It'll be a good fight and a lot of people will watch and be happy.

[quickeyg]

Joshua vs Whyte BOMBS at the gate to the point they call it off.

No one is stupid enough to buy a ticket for that fight.

It's been played out already.

You can't mug off the London fans - they are waking up in numbers.

Will watch April 1st.

Oh one more thing re-watch the AJ Franklin press conference. (Allllllllllllllllllll about money) no one will care about me he said.

[mickey1975]

Joshua-Whyte will sell out a stadium in the UK, highlight reel KO or not.

I wouldn’t be so sure of it now. And I mean that, before I’m told it’s because I’m anti AJ. Everyone I have spoken to thinks Whyte is shot. Those who know boxing especially.

I agree that Whyte is shot, but two British boxers in a high profile fight sells. Always has, always will.

Lewis v Bruno didn’t.

[keithmoonhangover]

I wouldn’t be so sure of it now. And I mean that, before I’m told it’s because I’m anti AJ. Everyone I have spoken to thinks Whyte is shot. Those who know boxing especially.

I agree that Whyte is shot, but two British boxers in a high profile fight sells. Always has, always will.

Lewis v Bruno didn’t.

It sold plenty of tickets. This is a different era though, where fights like Froch-Groves II can ram a stadium, because of a controversial stoppage. AJ-Whyte will shift plenty of tickets because it has a storyline.

[tony1234]

Joshuas casual fan base has moved on to other boxers or other sports, I expect there will be a few offers like 2 for 1 tickets nearer the time but if the tickets had been reasonably priced, 100 quid or lower for the lower bowl and 30 quid up in the gods it would have made a fun night out but 300 quid for the lower bowl is stupid.
Will Joshua v Whyte sell ? He hasn't beaten Franklin yet so I if I was Eddie I wouldn't be booking any stadiums yet

[tony1234]

I wouldn’t be so sure of it now. And I mean that, before I’m told it’s because I’m anti AJ. Everyone I have spoken to thinks Whyte is shot. Those who know boxing especially.

I agree that Whyte is shot, but two British boxers in a high profile fight sells. Always has, always will.

Lewis v Bruno didn’t.

A wet Friday night in Cardiff didn't help

[mickey1975]

I agree that Whyte is shot, but two British boxers in a high profile fight sells. Always has, always will.

Lewis v Bruno didn’t.

A wet Friday night in Cardiff didn't help

On a then obscure channel as well…