Anthony Joshua vs Helenius LIVE: Boxing result and reaction after AJ delivers brutal knockout
Follow live updates as Anthony Joshua boxes late replacement Robert Helenius at London’s O2 Arena
Anthony Joshua produced a devastating knockout against Robert Helenius to set up a blockbuster fight with Deontay Wilder.
The Finn, who stepped in on short notice for Dillian Whyte after a failed a drugs test, produced a disciplined display to frustrate ‘AJ’ for several rounds. But Joshua eventually caught Helenius with a clubbing right hand in the seventh round, suddenly ending the fight, sparking celebrations at ringside, including Conor McGregor.
Helenius had previously lost to Wilder, who was left in tears after stopping the 39-year-old in the first round in October. But now the Bronze Bomber is likely the next opponent for the Briton in one of the most anticipated fights in boxing history. The former two-time heavyweight champion could now face Wilder in Saudi Arabia, with negotiations for a January date already underway. Relive all the action, analysis and reaction from Joshua vs Helenius below.
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Anthony Joshua vs Robert Helenius LIVE: Deontay Wilder tearful after knocking out Finn
Here’s what Deontay Wilder had to say after knocking out Helenius in the first round in October:
“Yeah, it’s a great knockout, it’s devastating, making history and stuff like that, but how much is that man gonna suffer?
“He may be alright right now – a little bit – but what about the next day? What about two weeks from now? What about a month from now? Maybe years from now?
“We’ve seen what happened, look at [Prichard] Colon. This man ain’t have no kids...” Wilder said, referencing his compatriot and fellow boxer who suffered a brain injury in a 2015 fight, before trailing off in tears.
“Y’all don’t f***ing understand what we go through, man.”
More here:
Deontay Wilder gives tearful press conference after Robert Helenius KO
The American broke down while discussing fellow boxer Prichard Colon, who suffered a brain injury in the ring in 2015
Anthony Joshua vs Robert Helenius LIVE: ‘Have you got a problem with me?'
Joshua and Helenius engaged in an intense face-off yesterday, as “AJ” asked his opponent at their weigh-in: “Have you got a problem with me?”
Things have been cordial between the heavyweights, who were sparring partners in 2017, but that changed somewhat yesterday.
After a long, intense staredown, Joshua asked Helenius: “You good? Have you got a problem with me? Seriously, is everything alright with you?
“Either we’re gonna fight now or we’re gonna fight tomorrow, either way we’re gonna fight.”
More here:
‘Have you got a problem?’ Anthony Joshua and Robert Helenius share intense staredown
‘AJ’ will box Helenius on a week’s notice, after Dillian Whyte returned an adverse drug-test finding
Anthony Joshua vs Robert Helenius LIVE: Time to stop taking AJ for granted
In recent years, it has become quite fashionable to criticise Joshua. At times, it has been relatively easy to. In the years since the heavyweight became the darling of British boxing, he has won world titles, lost them, regained them and lost them again – to the dismay of some and delight of others. Even in victory, he is susceptible to backlash, as was most evident in the reactions to his points win over Jermaine Franklin in April.
There was scepticism in these pages, admittedly, when Joshua laboured to a decision win against the American. Never mind that it was a vital victory in the aftermath of two straight losses to Oleksandr Usyk, and that it was a first bout under Joshua’s new coach Derrick James; it was an underwhelming outing, one that left even “AJ” disappointed in himself.
And when comparing Joshua to his heavyweight colleagues, it is easy to find faults in the 33-year-old. He is not a technician like Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk; he has become gun shy, unlike the trigger-happy Deontay Wilder; he no longer holds an unbeaten record or the titles that some of those fighters possess. Yet there is one area in which Joshua has recently, consistently set himself apart from many of the key heavyweight characters.
What is it? Find out in the opinion piece below:
It’s time to stop taking Anthony Joshua for granted
‘AJ’ will box Robert Helenius on a week’s notice, after Dillian Whyte returned an adverse drug-test finding
Anthony Joshua vs Robert Helenius was left in doubt after late row over gloves
Anthony Joshua vs Robert Helenius was left in jeopardy on Friday night and earlier on Saturday after a glove row.
After Friday’s weigh-in on Friday, a video displayed Helenius and his team at a meeting to inspect gloves to be worn and discuss the rules of the bout.
Usually a formality, tension quickly emerged between the camps with Helenius and his team left furious.
The Finn was left upset and complained about what he perceived to be limited amount of padding on AJ’s Leone brand gloves in comparison to his own Grant brand gloves, even though BBBofC (British Boxing Board of Control) had cleared both selections.
“This is f***ing ridiculous,” Helenius said, while also making a request to use the same gloves as Joshua.
Anthony Joshua vs Robert Helenius LIVE: Finn says he’d be a ‘coward’ to turn down fight
Somewhere in a castle in Finland on Saturday night, five minutes removed from beating Mika Mielonen, Helenius was posed a question. “Dillian Whyte is out; are you in?” Fighting Joshua in London on seven days’ notice was the proposition, and it was one that Helenius accepted with little hesitation. Four days on, he casually tells reporters in the English capital: “Nobody will remember a coward.”
Few would have labelled Helenius as such, had he decided not to take this fight with Joshua in the wake of Whyte’s failed drug test, but the Finn himself would have lived with regret.
That said, there was more to Helenius’s decision than just that. “Of course I think he’s vulnerable,” the 39-year-old says of Joshua, with whom he sparred in 2017. “I wouldn’t be here otherwise. I think I’d find easier jobs to do. I’m gonna take my chances and say now is the best time to fight him.”
Full interview:
Robert Helenius on accepting Anthony Joshua fight: ‘Nobody will remember a coward’
Interview: Five minutes after fighting last week, the Finn agreed to replace Dillian Whyte on seven days’ notice
Anthony Joshua vs Robert Helenius LIVE: Heavyweights go in-depth on boxing’s doping ‘problem’
Helenius puts it bluntly: “In Finland, if I would be caught, I would be lynched for my whole life.”
The Finn is the chief – perhaps only – beneficiary in this week’s drug-test saga, but he is still damning of a situation that has handed him one of the biggest bouts of his career.
“Of course it’s a problem, because I don’t think everybody’s on the same level,” he tells reporters on Wednesday. “I think some boxers have some privileges that others don’t. I think anti-doping should be the same in every country. For example, in your country, when Dillian gets caught, nobody cares. I would get a two-year minimum [ban], or I would never get a licence again.”
Joshua remains calmer on the topic – stunningly so, given how this week has affected him, and considering that he was burnt by a short-notice fight with Andy Ruiz in June 2019, after his original opponent Jarrell Miller tested positive for multiple banned substances. “It happens in boxing,” Joshua says. “It’s not the first time it’s happened. [It’s happening more], so I wasn’t so surprised to be honest.
“I hope it’s a mistake [with Whyte], but that’s why I have to invest in these tests, etc, and now I ask the team: ‘Can they get Helenius tested as well?’ It’s important to make sure we’re on top of these things. I actually don’t know what Dillian was caught with, I don’t know what was in his system.”
Full article:
Anthony Joshua and Robert Helenius go in-depth on boxing’s doping ‘problem’
Helenius will fight Joshua on seven days’ notice on Saturday, after the latter’s original opponent Dillian Whyte failed a drug test
Anthony Joshua vs Robert Helenius LIVE: Dillian Whyte vows to prove innocence
Dillian Whyte wrote on his social media channels last weekend: “I am shocked and devastated to learn of a report by Vada (Voluntary Anti-Doping Association) of adverse findings relating to me.
“I only learned of it this morning and am still reacting to it. I have also just seen that the fight is being cancelled without having any chance to demonstrate my innocence before the decision was taken.
“I can confirm without a shadow of doubt that I have not taken the reported substance, in this camp or at any point in my life.
“I am completely innocent and ask to be given the time to go through the process of proving this without anybody jumping to conclusions or a trial by media.”
More here:
Dillian Whyte vows to prove his innocence after doping test ‘adverse finding’
The scheduled rematch against Anthony Joshua next Saturday has been cancelled.
Anthony Joshua vs Robert Helenius LIVE: Who is the ‘Nordic Nightmare’?
Finland’s Helenius, 39, fought just last week, stopping Mika Mielonen in the third round to bounce back from a knockout loss to Deontay Wilder last October.
Helenius appeared to retire after his first-round defeat by Wilder, who tearfully said at the post-fight press conference: “How much is that man gonna suffer? He may be alright right now – a little bit – but what about the next day? What about two weeks from now? What about a month from now? Maybe years from now?”
Helenius returned to the ring last Saturday, though, beating Mielonen in what might have proved a helpful warm-up for this clash with Joshua.
With that win, Helenius improved his professional record to 32-4 (21 KO wins, 3 KO losses). His most notable opponents, alongside Wilder, have been Whyte and Derek Chisora, with the former outpointing Helenius and the latter losing to the Finn via decision.
More here:
Robert Helenius: Record of Finnish boxer stepping up to face Anthony Joshua
Helenius fought just last weekend, bouncing back from a knockout loss to Deontay Wilder
Anthony Joshua vs Robert Helenius LIVE: Start time, stream, card
Key timings tonight
The main card is due to begin at 7pm BST (11am PT, 1pm CT, 2pm ET). Ring walks for the main event are then expected at around 10pm BST (2pm PT, 4pm CT, 5pm ET).
How to watch the event
The event will stream live on Dazn. A subscription to the streaming platform is available to purchase here, with monthly plans starting at £9.99.
If you’re travelling abroad and want to watch the Anthony Joshua fight then you might need a VPN to unblock your streaming app. Our VPN roundup is here to help: get great deals on the best VPNs in the market.
Full card (subject to change)
Anthony Joshua vs Robert Helenius (heavyweight)
Filip Hrgovic vs Demsey McKean (heavyweight)
Johnny Fisher vs Harry Armstrong (heavyweight)
Derek Chisora vs Gerald Washington (heavyweight)
Campbell Hatton vs Tom Ansell (super-lightweight)
George Liddard vs Bas Oosterweghel (middleweight)
Brandon Scott vs Louis Norman (featherweight)
Maisey Rose Courtney vs Gemma Ruegg (super-flyweight)
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