Joshua welcomes Wilder next | 'Roll on! No worry to me when it is'

Anthony Joshua knocked out Robert Helenius in a seventh round, focusing on a January fight against Wilder.

Anthony Joshua is on course to fight Deontay Wilder in January.

Both are former heavyweight champions, Joshua previously a unified titlist while Wilder held the WBC belt until Tyson Fury handed him his first defeat.

A collision between two of the heavyweight division's biggest punchers remains a richly enticing event, certainly to the Saudi Arabian backers who would seek to bring the fight to the Middle East.

Deontay Wilder and Anthony Joshua are scheduled to fight in January.

Both Joshua and Wilder have held the WBC heavyweight championship before Tyson Fury surrendered it to Wilder. Joshua was previously the unified heavyweight champion.

A clash between two of the strongest punchers in the heavyweight class is still a highly alluring event, especially to Saudi Arabia's financiers who want to bring the fight to the Middle East.

In Saturday night's bout with Robert Helenius, Joshua demonstrated the devastating power he can deliver. He executed a one-punch finish in the seventh round to level the Finn and conclusively end the contest.

However the fact that their fight went beyond the first half also underscored how Joshua's style has changed, and how his boxing has become much more restrained.

He was cautious. He was patient. Those can be qualities.

But they also lead to unfavourable comparisons with Wilder. Joshua took seven rounds to finish Helenius. For Wilder, when he boxed the Finn last October, Helenius didn't make it through the first round.

However, Joshua doesn't appear deterred by the idea of boxing the potentially dangerous American, and he will likely engage in that matchup next.

Joshua anticipates just that to happen. "Roll on," he commanded. "When it is, I'm not concerned. I'm simply glad we're able to start the fight, and I think people are grateful for that.

"I'm doing everything I can to keep heavyweight boxing relevant."

He doesn't think it's necessary to compare their individual efforts to Helenius, though.

"Wilder's got a strong right hand, I've got a good right hand," he remarked, "but we're two very different fighters. "There was a change in opponents for me. I changed my game plan and just stuck to it as closely as I could to win in the seventh round.

Joshua claimed that Helenius was not undervalued. Because he was knocked out in the first round, "His reputation was damaged, but he's a very good operator minus that," Joshua added.

He described their Saturday fight as "trying to stop each other's advances." "It's a chess game. It's interesting when you're playing. It's a sport for thinking people.

"Why do I intend to enter that transaction from round one? Take him apart.

Joshua has become a more patient fighter. But he is still capable of packing a mean blow. Even though it took him longer than he had anticipated, he eventually found the finish in a combination that was flawlessly executed.

Joshua claims that he was not depending on that for the Wilder bout.

"Knockouts are good of course," he said. "It's not so much the knockout, it's just the ring activity which gives me confidence, that's what's important."

Wilder could be one of the final chapters in his career. When asked how long he had left in boxing, he simply replied: "Not long."

Joshua must already be thinking about how he will close out his time in the sport. Wilder, the biggest fight he could get without a world title on the line, clearly is part of those plans.

"I believe that for years I've played my part bringing entertainment to heavyweight boxing," he said.

Joshua wants to be remembered as the "guy that fought everyone". Stepping into the ring with Deontay Wilder, even in a non-title bout, would only enhance that reputation.

That's what he wants next. "We've just got to hope the other team play ball as well," Joshua said.

"I'm just focused on smashing his head in now. And that's it."