On his way back to the top, Anthony Joshua will have to conquer an opponent who has taken this fight on just 4 days’ notice. Robert Helenius was on his way to celebrate his victory over Mika Mielonen when he received an offer from Eddie Hearn to take on Joshua. Helenius, who is considered in the twilight of his career, gladly accepted, as it might be his last big paycheck.
Although not unusual, 4 day’s notice seems to be inadequate considering the fact that Joshua has been training for months. The reason for Helenius’ inclusion was Dillian Whyte’s inability to pass a drug test, rendering him invalid for this fight. Joshua, who last fought in April, came out with an underwhelming victor over Jermaine Franklin. In fact, his performances have all been lackluster after his devastating defeats to Oleksandr Usyk.
Anthony Joshua vs Robert Helenius first face-off ahead of Saturday night…
[🎥 @MatchroomBoxing] pic.twitter.com/jjKbpb7Z4b
— Michael Benson (@MichaelBensonn) August 9, 2023
Therefore, he would look to display his skill and power on the under-prepared opponent and get a KO. A successful result will likely see the Brit take on Deontay Wilder in 2024. Joshua had this to say regarding the introduction of Helenius on short notice. “Late replacements aren’t ideal, but a long career will present these kinds of obstacles. This is just another rock in my shoe on the way to the top of the mountain. The objective remains the same, victory by any means. There’s no overtime in boxing, so I’ve got to be on my A-game and inflict pain.”
When is Anthony Joshua vs Robert Helenius?
The 12-round heavyweight fight will take place on August 12 at the O2 Arena in London. The main card will get underway at 7 p.m. BST / 2 p.m. ET with the main event ring walks scheduled for 10 p.m. BST / 5 p.m. ET. These timings could vary depending on the length of the undercard fights.
Anthony Joshua vs Robert Helenius is official. pic.twitter.com/enMLhBDclZ
— MMA UNCENSORED (@MMAUNCENSORED1) August 8, 2023
The event has several other exciting fights including Derek Chisora vs Gerald Washington, Filip Hrgovic vs. Demsey McKean who is currently undefeated, Johnny Fisher vs Harry Armstrong, George Liddard vs Radek Rousal, Maisey Rose Courtney vs Gemma Ruegg, and Campbell Hatton vs Tom Ansell.
How to watch Joshua vs Helenius?
The fight will be broadcasted live by DAZN in over 200 countries across the globe. You can subscribe to DAZN for a mere $12.74. Viewers in the UK can also watch the fight on the DAZN 1 HD channel 429 on Sky.
Live stream: The DAZN app and website will offer a live stream service online across mobile devices, laptops, games consoles, and more. Previously, the bout was supposed to be on PPV, but Whyte’s dismissal caused DAZN to reconsider and offer it to their monthly subscribers instead.