Jermaine Franklin says Itauma fight talk feels disrespectful

Jermaine Franklin says he feels disrespected by the way his fight with Moses Itauma has been discussed, after hearing the British heavyweight linked with future opponents before they have even met in the ring.

The reaction came after Itauma described Franklin as a necessary test while also shutting down questions about other heavyweights at the final press conference today. The 21-year-old insisted he would not look past the bout, calling Franklin “a serious opponent” and a fight his team had wanted for some time, but the surrounding conversation has still leaned toward what comes next if he wins.

Franklin, 32, made it clear he has taken notice of that tone.

“I feel disrespected by it, but it’s part of the game,” he said. “I’m used to the politics. I’m used to the tricks everybody does, so I’m just ready to fight.”

The Americans’ record offers some backing to that stance. He went the distance in competitive fights with former world title challengers Anthony Joshua and Dillian Whyte, showing durability and enough resistance to avoid the kind of early endings that have defined Itauma’s rise.

That contrast has helped build Itauma’s reputation as a fast-moving contender, but it has also created a situation where Franklin is being treated more as a checkpoint than an opponent with his own chances. The fight itself has been framed as a test for Itauma, rather than a contest with two outcomes.

Franklin did not argue with the realities of the business, but his response suggested he has no intention of playing the supporting role assigned to him.

“I’m just ready to fight,” he said.

The bout is scheduled for Saturday in Manchester, where Itauma will look to answer questions about his ability to handle rounds, and Franklin will look to disrupt a narrative that has already moved ahead of him.