British boxer Anthony Joshua has turned his attention to Deontay Wilder after picking up his first knockout win since 2020 on Saturday night.
The former world champion needed seven rounds to stop stand-in opponent Robert Helenius, and set up a fight with Deontay Wilder, who hasn’t fought since he knocked out ‘The Nordic Nightmare’ within three minutes last October.
Helenius was only drafted in after fighting in Finland last weekend when Dillian Whyte was ruled out of what would have been an all-British clash following “adverse analytical findings” in a doping test.
The 39-year-old Helenius, who entered the ring with 32 wins and four defeats from his 36 professional bouts, was knocked out in the first round by Deontay Wilder in October.
He avoided a repeat of that embarrassing reverse on Saturday although, with Joshua making a cautious start, boos rang out from a capacity crowd at London’s O2 Arena during the third round.
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Joshua, however, landed with a left hook and then hit Helenius with a right to the face later in the round.
The local hero rocked Helenius again in the fourth before the Finnish veteran caught Joshua with a jab.
But the fifth round left Helenius with a bloodied nose and although Joshua made him stumble with a left uppercut, he survived and got through an uneventful sixth round.
Joshua did give his fans what they came to see when he knocked out Helenius with a powerful right-hand punch in the seventh.
The former two-time heavyweight champion initially joked about his back being sore from carrying the division when asked about a potential fight with Wilder.
Joshua is expected to make £60million to face ‘The Bronze Bomber’ in Saudi Arabia next January after years of back-and-forth about a bout that previously seemed impossible to make.
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The Englishman is unconcerned about the timing of his fight with Wilder and is fully focused on finally settling the debate about who is the better boxer.
“Anytime is a good time to fight,” Joshua said at his post-fight press conference.
“It’s only a fight, it doesn’t matter who it is. It could’ve been Wilder eight years ago or it could be Wilder now. It don’t matter. It is what it is at the end of the day, it’s only a fight and boxing wins.
“So, roll on really. There’s no worry to me when it is, I’m just happy we can get the fight going and I think people appreciate that I’m doing my best to keep heavyweight boxing on the map.
“It’s all the same s***. We’re gonna fight, what will be will be. I can’t look back and say, ‘What would’ve been?’ I’m just focused on fighting him now, that’s it.
“That’s all I’m focused on. I’m not trying to compare what would’ve been, it’s a weakness. I’m just focused on smashing his head in now, that’s it.”
AFP