I'm stating the obvious here regarding heavyweight scraps, in that we'd all love to see regular bouts between more evenly matched fighters, the best fighting the best, AND in their primes etc, but it rarely pans out that way. So, we have to make do with what we get. Either that or you'd end up rarely watching heavyweight bouts. Each to their own, but I'll accept ( grudgingly) second best over nothing... There's plenty of rbr regulars who have fun here on fight nights. I do. But again, each to their own.
If this was 2011 Helenius..............ok. But it's 2023. I guess it's safe though. Like how Wilder used him as a comeback. With short notice it is what it is.
That's the only intriguing quality regarding the match. ****, when's the last time a top tier boxer fought twice in a 7 day period?
He isn’t stopping him in a minute like Wilder. He will beat him up and stop him in about 8/9 though. It is a mismatch, but at least there is a fight to go ahead with.
Stopping him in a minute makes no difference to Joshua, and just tells us that he has power (which we always knew he had anyway). Joshua needs to go through the gears, and show us what he has been working on in the gym. He needs to show a full arsenal and summon his inner beast. His mindset needs to be totally different to Wilder's. Wilder only has a "I'm here to KO you" mentality, and will look to land that right hand all night long. When he falls short he has nothing to fall back on. Joshua on the other hand is more athletic and versatile and has more skill to put. Now he has to put it all together in the right order .
I hope Helenius gets to him, he has the power to hurt Joshua that's for sure. Many other guys stated they would step in to fight him, and he picks Helenius? Shows you the lack of balls he has.
I agree with you. But the pseudo maths used by many a hater will come out of it does take him a few rounds, even if for the unbiased the rounds will do him some good
I disagree. I never understood the idea that a fighter has to look like a world-beater in his first match after a devastating KO loss. And in any case, Helenius comfortably outboxed and outlanded Mielonen and took him out in 3. That's a perfectly good performance for a comeback fight. I also think that Helenius looked to be in great shape, better than when he fought Wilder. Joshua is the huge favourite of course. But Helenius has a decent punch so here's hoping it will be a good little HW bout.