“The 989 Assassin” Jermaine Franklin Scores Knockout Victory in Detroit

Returning to the ring after a 10-month hiatus, heavyweight boxer Jermaine Franklin delivered a dominant performance on Thursday night, knocking down 2004 U.S. Olympian Devin Vargas twice and forcing a corner surrender in their DAZN-streamed “Big Time Boxing USA” matchup in Detroit.

The 30-year-old Franklin, a fringe contender, secured his second straight win since consecutive losses to Dillian Whyte and Anthony Joshua. In contrast, the 42-year-old Vargas suffered his fifth consecutive defeat, falling to 22-11 (9 KOs) on the night.

Franklin, nicknamed “The 989 Assassin,” promised a knockout heading into the bout at Wayne State Fieldhouse, and he delivered. The younger fighter from Saginaw, Michigan, hurt Vargas with a right hand in the opening round and relentlessly attacked, although the former Olympian displayed impressive recuperative powers throughout the fight.

“I felt like I made the fight harder than it needed to be,” Franklin admitted afterward. “I couldn’t calm down after landing that first power punch.”

The pattern repeated in the second round, with Franklin hurting Vargas badly with a left-right combination. Though Vargas managed to stay on his feet, the punishment he was absorbing was evident. The former Olympian remained game, but Franklin’s power ultimately proved too much.

In the fourth round, a massive right uppercut from Franklin sent Vargas to the canvas, and he barely beat the count. Vargas continued fighting, but the end was near. Two rounds later, Franklin landed a right hand to the body and a crushing left-right combination that put Vargas down again, prompting his corner to wave the fight off between rounds.

Franklin’s promoter, Dmitry Salita, called out Joseph Parker as a preferred opportunity for the boxer, but stated that they would keep him busy on the “Big Time Boxing USA” series if a significant fight doesn’t materialize.

🔗 Source