Jermaine Franklin (born October 21, 1993) is an American professional boxer.
Early life Franklin was born in Saginaw, Michigan, where he spent most of his time growing up. His stepfather introduced him to boxing around the age of 12 as a means to avoid fighting in the streets and to learn discipline. Coming from a challenging environment with high crime rates, his mother had to work hard to keep him on the right path.
His nickname '989 Assassin' is a reference to the area code of Saginaw, where Franklin was born.
Amateur career Franklin's amateur career was marked by some significant achievements, including a win over Cassius Chaney. He reached the finals of the 2013 National Golden Gloves Championship, losing to Cam F. Awesome. The two met again in the 2014 final, where Franklin avenged the loss and won on points. Despite an opportunity to compete in the 2016 Olympic Games, he decided to turn professional in 2015.
Professional career Franklin fought Dillian Whyte at Wembley Arena in London on November 26, 2022. Whyte won by majority decision, although the decision of the fight was controversial with many scoring it as a draw, or for Franklin winning.
A bout between Franklin and Anthony Joshua took place on April 1, 2023 at The O2 in London, with Joshua the winner by unanimous decision.
On March 28, 2026, Franklin fought Moses Itauma at the Co-op Live arena in Manchester, England. Following a dominant performance, Itauma won by TKO in the 5th round.
Personal life Between 2019 and 2022, Franklin filed for bankruptcy, due to financial and managerial issues, and worked 12-hour night shifts to support his family.
As of 2023, Franklin has two daughters and one son.
Professional boxing record
ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound(s), timeDateLocationNotes27Loss24–3Moses ItaumaKO5 (10), Mar 28, 202626Win24–2Ivan DychkoUD10Sep 13, 2025 25Win23–2Devin Vargas6 (10), May 24, 202424Win22–2Isaac Munoz GutierrezUD10Jul 15, 202323Loss21–2Anthony JoshuaUD12Apr 1, 202322Loss21–1Dillian Whyte12Nov 26, 202221Win21–0Rodney MooreTKO5 (8), May 7, 202220Win20–0Pavel SourUD10Oct 5, 201919Win19–0Jerry Forrest10Jul 12, 201918Win18–0Rydell BookerUD10Apr 13, 201917Win17–0Craig LewisUD10Jul 13, 201816Win16–0Ed FountainTKO8 (10), Mar 3, 201815Win15–0Cory PhelpsKO1 (10), Dec 15, 201714Win14–0Tyrell WrightUD8Oct 19, 201713Win13–0Daniel PasciollaTKO6 (8),Aug 12, 201712Win12–0Akhror MuralimovUD8Jul 29, 201711Win11–0Danny CalhounKO1 (6), Jun 9, 201710Win10–0Daniel Adotey AlloteyKO1 (6), Apr 8, 20179Win9–0Adam CollinsTKO1 (6), Dec 17, 20168Win8–0Robbie MendezTKO1 (4), Oct 7, 20167Win7–0Willie Jake JrTKO5 (6), May 27, 20166Win6–0Wesley TriplettTKO6 (6), Mar 26, 20165Win5–0Kareem BrannTKO1 (4), Dec 12, 20154Win4–0Nicholas Thompson4Oct 17, 20153Win3–0Preston King1 (4), Aug 22, 20152Win2–0Vandale SladeTKO1 (4), Jun 26, 20151Win1–0Deshawn Jenkins1 (4), Apr 4, 2015
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