Win or bust for Joshua as critics sharpen knives

AS much as he tries to deny it, Anthony Joshua is at a crossroads. Lose to Jermaine Franklin and gone is his stock as a serious heavyweight.

Joshua is aware of what is at stake and yet goes into the fight far more relaxed than many of his more recent bouts.

Ahead of Andy Ruiz Jr, there was a bullishness that he had cracked the UK and was now ready to take the US by storm. Before Oleksandr Usyk, he tried to persuade himself he was technically the better boxer. All that happened was he fell into the trap of playing Usyk at his own game and being outboxed. Gone are the world titles that have been his for so long to lessen the pressure, but there is the knowledge that Franklin (right), while an impressive heavyweight, is not in the same ballpark.

In fact, only Usyk, Tyson Fury and potentially Deontay Wilder can consider themselves better heavyweights. Joshua has repeated the mantra in the build up that all that matters is the win by any means. But winning is not enough. Should it be a workmanlike points victory, he is aware the critics will be as vocal as they were following that second Usyk loss. An explosive knockout will quieten those disapproving voices. Franklin has talked of putting Joshua on the canvas. The American looks far fitter and bigger than he did in the points decision that went against Dillian Whyte. After two Usyk fights in a year, Joshua looked weighed down by the expectation and everyone wanting a piece of him.

His great weakness is he hates letting people down. It perhaps explains why he stayed with trainer Rob McCracken for so long when he had stopped listening. Taking himself out of London may prove a master stroke.

Dallas will supposedly be the scene of his rebirth and tomorrow he is determined not to let down Derrick James either, aiming to give a performance to show his new trainer he was worth the effort. James will be one of many waiting to see if he gets the right response.