Moses Itauma vs Jermaine Franklin Follows Familiar Heavyweight Pattern

Franklin responds to “give him rounds” narrative ahead of heavyweight bout

Moses Itauma faces Jermaine Franklin on March 28 in Manchester. Franklin again steps in as a test for a rising heavyweight.

Franklin has been used as the measuring point for established names. He went twelve rounds with Dillian Whyte and lost a decision many saw as close, then faced Anthony Joshua and again went the distance without getting the verdict. Those fights set his position in the division. He is competitive, durable, and has not been moved beyond that level, and he is aware of how this matchup is being discussed.

“Not Jermaine will beat him. Jermaine will give him rounds,” Franklin said to DAZN Boxing this week, describing the way the fight is being talked about going in.

He has pushed back on that idea, but the role itself has not changed. Franklin is still being 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 change things on the right night, but it did not change how he is matched. 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 toward 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 moved forward with purpose, and Franklin is the latest checkpoint in that process. It is a familiar setup in the division, one that has been used for years to measure prospects against a known level of resistance.

Franklin has settled into that role. He is being brought in to give Itauma rounds and make him look good, not to beat him.