Robert Helenius was defeated by Anthony Joshua at the O2 Arena in London on Saturday after just seven rounds.
Helenius was taken aback when he managed to drag Joshua into the second half of their fight, but Joshua quickly put an end to his attempts with a single blow, a devastating right cross to the jaw that down him severely at 1-27 of the seventh round.
On this show, Joshua was expected to rekindle his feud with his former foe Dillan Whyte. But after Whyte's negative analytical results in the pre-fight anti-doping tests, that fight had to be called off.
Modes:
2
It left Joshua looking for a replacement opponent at just a week's notice and Helenius, moments after he had taken a three-round victory over Mika Mielonen last weekend in Finland made himself available for this fight.
After being knocked out in the first round by Deontay Wilder, Helenius was seizing an opportunity to return to action at the top tier of the heavyweight division. He began with spirit too, rushing out in the first round to cuff punches at Joshua's guard.
It left Joshua searching for a new opponent with only a week's notice, and Helenius made himself available for this fight shortly after taking a three-round victory against Mika Mielonen last weekend in Finland.
Helenius was looking to make a comeback at the top of the heavyweight division after being stopped by Deontay Wilder in the first round. He also got off to a fiery start, charging in the opening round to cuff blows at Joshua's defense.
By the second round, Joshua had gained the upper hand. With a left hook, he dove in to grab Helenius. The body took the blow of his jab, but he was unwilling to move quickly.
Joshua may have been closely examining this opponent on short notice as he gradually gained an understanding of him. The crowd, however, didn't want to see that. They desired more movement.
During the third round, certain parts of the stadium started to boo, signaling a need for speed.Former unified champion Joshua is adamant about winning back his title, and for him, defeating Helenius was just another step in the right direction.
He was patient, occasionally used a mixture to calm Helenius down, and then gave a harsh conclusion.
Joshua answered that call though and launched a right cross flush into Helenius' jaw. It connected and a cursory glance at Helenius showed it was a hurtful punch.
But the Finn collected himself. He withstood a charge in the next round and boxed through it. In the fifth, with Helenius backed into the ropes, Joshua smacked in a right that struck so hard the thud was audible.
The pace leaked out of the contest in the sixth round and if Joshua was affronted to see Helenius still in with him in the latter half of the contest, he finished matters with a sudden burst of speed.
His jab flicked out, distracting Helenius and the right carved a path through to hit the Finn cleanly to the jaw.
The blasting shot dropped him heavily, ending the contest at once.
The result, and the manner of the finish, clearly delighted Joshua. He even left the ring to celebrate before returning to have his hand formally raised by the referee.
He took his time but eventually Joshua got exactly the ending he wanted.
0 Comments