Jermaine Franklin has been in this position before, and he’s back in it again on March 28 against Moses Itauma in Manchester, in a fight that follows a familiar pattern in the heavyweight division.
Franklin was used as the benchmark for established names. He went twelve rounds with Dillian Whyte and lost a decision that many considered close, then faced Anthony Joshua and again went the distance without getting the verdict. These fights determined his position in the division. He’s competitive, durable and hasn’t moved beyond that level, and he’s aware of how this game is being discussed.
“Not Jermaine will beat him. Jermaine will give him rounds,” Franklin told DAZN Boxing this week, describing how the fight was being talked about going into it.
He pushed back on that idea, but the role itself did not change. Franklin is still brought in to answer a question about someone else, which has been the function he has filled since those two losses. His win over Ivan Dychko showed he can still turn things around on the right night, but it didn’t change how he’s matched up. He remains the opponent used to test where the next name stands, even if he sees the opportunity differently.
“Why not catch him before he reaches the top?” Jermaine said when asked why he accepted the fight with Moses.
That approach reflects his position. A win over Itauma would move him back to the level he reached after the Whyte fight and give him a reason to call for bigger names again. The incentive is clear, even if the structure of the fight is not.
Itauma is being purposefully moved forward, and Franklin is the latest checkpoint in that process. This is a familiar setup in the division, one that has been used for years to measure prospects against a known level of resistance.
Franklin settled into that role. He is brought in to give Itauma laps and make him look good, not to beat him.
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Last updated on 2026/03/23 at 12:04
