Franklin and Forrest calling for KOs on July 12 ShoBox
The heavyweights meet on Friday, July 12.
Heavyweights Jermaine Franklin and Jerry Forrest meet in the main event of the next edition of ShoBox: The New Generation on Friday, July 12, and both are calling for knockout performances.
Franklin (18-0, 13 KO) is a 25-year-old prospect from Saginaw, Michigan, 2014 National Golden Gloves champ and a legitimate heavyweight prospect.
He made his Showtime debut in April, beating Rydell Booker on the Shields-Hammer undercard.
“I learned to have more self-control and patience in that fight,” said Franklin. “Boxing is a tough sport and I think as a boxer, sometimes we try too hard to go for the knockout. I learned to stay patient, be calm, fight my fight and not rush things.”
Forrest (25-2, 19 KO) figures to be a more aggressive opponent than Booker, and Franklin believes that could lead to a more spectacular finish.
“I’ve seen some tape on Forrest and I know he’s left-handed and throws a lot of looping punches,” Franklin said. “He’ll be right in front for me to hit. He seems very flat-footed, so I’ll use angles against him. But I feel like I don’t need a certain opponent to look good against. I took myself out of my last fight. I didn’t show what I can do. I’ll be more focused this time. I’ve developed to another stage since then.”
Forrest, 31, is from Virginia, and has fought on the regional club circuit for his career. His losses came to Gerald Washington and Michael Hunter in back-to-back fights in 2013-14.
“I picture a knockout or TKO,” Franklin said. “I’m not going to rush anything. I’m just going to fight my fight, but I feel I can get the KO if I stay calm. It’ll come. It’s inevitable. Honestly, it’s kind of like the first chance for people to see what I’ve already been doing for years. The only difference is the cameras. It’ll still be my fight. Just the world gets to see it. I can’t wait to show on a national scale what I was capable of.”
Forrest says that Franklin has no advantages over him, and he doesn’t see his opponent as much of a cerebral fighter.
“I’m going to outbox him until I stop him,” said Forrest. “He can’t outbox me. I don’t think he has the skills, power, stamina, accuracy or boxing IQ to stand with me. It’s not a real planned style of his. I don’t think he thinks much in the ring. If you’re in better shape as a heavyweight, you will win the fight. I’m sure he’s training a bit harder, but he didn’t take his last fight seriously and he got hit with a lot of flush shots.
“I’m a power puncher. I have 19 KOs and a lot of them are in the early rounds. I’m good at seeing punches and being able to avoid them. I’m also very adaptive in the ring and even though he’s taller, his reach is shorter than mine. A lot of guys get thrown up really fast and they’re not ready for it. This is one of those cases. I will stop him.”
Franklin, who is the favorite and A-side, will be headlining on Showtime for the first time, but says while he’s excited, he won’t let that be a distraction.
“It just hit me two or three days ago that I’m headlining my own card on Showtime,” said Franklin. “For a while it seemed unreal, but I don’t want to get too excited, so I’m trying to stay level-headed right now. I’ve been doing a lot of weight training and resistance training and pushing past the limit. I do a full workout in the gym and then workout on something else for another hour. I’m pushing past the limits of being tired to regain that second wind faster. I’m learning how to work hard without emptying my gas tank.”
The broadcast will also feature a heavyweight clash between Sweden’s Otto Wallin (20-0, 13 KO) and veteran BJ Flores (34-4-1, 21 KO), plus a meeting of unbeaten featherweights as Giovanni Mioletti (16-0, 7 KO) faces Luis Porozo (14-0, 7 KO). The event starts at 10 pm ET from Tacoma, Washington.