Jermaine Franklin returns May 23 Against Devin Vargas on DAZN

Jermaine Franklin remains steadfast in his pursuit to establish himself as a legitimate heavyweight contender.

Scheduled to return to the ring on May 23, Franklin is set to face Devin Vargas in a 10-round bout at Wayne State FieldHouse in Detroit, Michigan, as announced by Salita Promotions. Preceding this matchup will be an enticing eight-round encounter between undefeated junior welterweight prospects Joshua Pagan and Roger Hilley.

Both bouts will be featured on the Big Time Boxing USA card, streaming live on DAZN (8 p.m. ET/ 5 p.m. PT). Franklin (22-2, 14 KOs), hailing from nearby Saginaw, last competed on July 15, securing a decision victory over Isaac Muñoz Gutierrez after 10 dominant rounds. Notably, Muñoz entered the ring undefeated.

Three months prior to his win over Muñoz, Franklin showcased his skills in a unanimous decision loss to former unified world titleholder Anthony Joshua. In November 2022, the 30-year-old Franklin suffered his first professional defeat, narrowly losing a majority decision to Dillian Whyte.

Reflecting on his setbacks against Joshua and Whyte, Franklin believes they have reshaped his approach and mindset for future fights, maintaining his confidence in his ability to rise within the heavyweight ranks. Meanwhile, Vargas (22-10, 9 KOs), hailing from Sylvania, Ohio, faced defeat against undefeated Deontae Pettigrew in his last outing on July 7. This loss marked a rematch three months after his initial defeat to Pettigrew.

Vargas, aged 42, represented the United States as a 2004 Olympian and has faced six defeats in his last eight fights.

In the junior welterweight clash, Pagan (9-0, 4 KOs), based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, claimed a unanimous decision victory over Braulio Rodriguez in his most recent bout on October 21. This triumph followed a first-round stoppage of Gabriel Smith three months earlier.

Pagan, aged 24, held the title of the 2021 U.S. National Amateur welterweight champion and showcased his prowess with five fights in 2023.

On the other side, Hilley (13-0, 8 KOs), last seen in action on May 6, secured a unanimous decision victory over Oscar Bravo in his hometown of Chattanooga, Tennessee. The 29-year-old has halted three of his last five opponents, including a knockout triumph over Juan Carlos Pena on March 23 of the previous year.

Additionally, the card will feature a six-round bout between top middleweight prospect Da’Velle Smith (8-0, 6 KOs) of Taylor, Michigan, and Brandon Maddux (8-6-1, 6 KOs) of Wayne, Michigan.