Former unified heavyweight champion, Anthony Joshua, has knocked Robert Helenius in the seventh round of their heavyweight match.
The match took place on August 12, 2023, at the O2 Arena in London, England.
The fight was a last-minute replacement for the original one between Joshua and Whyte, who tested positive for a banned substance.
Helenius, a former European champion from Finland, took the fight on short notice, hoping to shock the world by defeating the former unified world champion.
The fight began at a slow pace, as both fighters were wary and respectful of each other’s power.
The crowd was impatient and booed the lack of action in the first few rounds.
Joshua connected with some strong punches in the fourth and fifth rounds, injuring Helenius’s nose and eye.
However, Helenius was still in the game and did not give up.
The fight ended suddenly in the seventh round when Joshua delivered a powerful right hand that hit Helenius squarely on the chin.
Helenius fell to the floor and was counted out by the referee.
Helenius suffered his fourth loss in his career, dropping to 32 wins and 4 losses, with 21 knockouts.
He showed bravery and determination but was outclassed by Joshua’s skill and speed.
The fight was shown live on Sky Sports Box Office in the UK and DAZN in other countries.
It received mixed reactions from critics and fans, who praised Joshua’s knockout but criticized the slow pace of the fight.
Some also doubted Helenius’s qualifications as a worthy opponent for Joshua, given his short notice and lack of recent activity.
However, others recognized that Joshua did what he had to do to win and move on to bigger challenges.
It was Joshua’s first knockout win since December 2020, when he stopped Pulev in nine rounds.
The fight was a dominant display by Joshua, who showed his patience, accuracy, and power.
He improved his record to 26 wins and 2 losses, with 22 knockouts.
He has faced some of the best fighters in the division, such as Klitschko, Povetkin, Ruiz Jr., and Usyk.
Joshua has shown his power and skill in many spectacular knockouts that have thrilled the fans and earned him respect.
He also moved closer to a potential showdown with Wilder, who holds the WBC and Ring magazine titles.
Source: Punch