“Victory by Any Means,” Says Anthony Joshua as He Faces Robert Helenius for the First Time Ahead of Their Unexpected Fight

The world keenly awaited the second chapter of the long-standing rivalry between Anthony Joshua and Dillian Whyte in their professional careers. The two were set to fight on the 12th of August. This would be the second time they came face-to-face in a pro boxing ring after their lethal showdown in 2015, where AJ emerged victorious through knockout. However, just a few days ahead of this anticipated matchup, fans were informed that the boxer will not be fighting Whyte anymore as the latter failed the VADA drug test.

AJ’s promoter Eddie Hearn then set out to find a befitting opponent for his boxer just a few days ahead of the scheduled fight. As names of potential fighters poured in, Hearn gave boxing fans another shock. He announced that Anthony Joshua would indeed get his fight on the 12th, and this time it would be against Robert Helenius. With just a couple of days left for the big night, both the boxers faced off for the first time.

What happened in the face-off between Anthony Joshua and Robert Helenius?

Robert packed up on his fight just a few days ago against Mika Mielonen in Finland. He touched down in London earlier today to fight AJ on such short notice. As the big night draws near, they came together for a press conference, where everything was cordial. But deep down, everyone could feel the tension of a competition building up.

AJ has been nothing but appreciative of his opponent for taking up the fight at the very last moment. To be specific, within less than a week after his last fight. Joshua said, “Helenius fought on Saturday. He’s doing the right thing; as a fighter, you have to [fight as often as possible].” 

He further added that his plan for this recently developed fight remains the same. Win at all costs. AJ said, “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.”

On short notice, a befitting fighter for AJ

In an era where most boxing bouts fall flat in the negotiation period, we will see a fight take its course that was conceptualized in such a short span of time. As the boxing fans were worried after the fight between AJ and Dillain Whyte collapsed, the attention shifted to Eddie Hearn. The promoter had a difficult task on his shoulder: to find a boxer that will be in the league of AJ on such short notice.

Little did he know that he could find the ideal opponent a little far away in Finland. Yes, Helenius will be replacing Whyte. The boxer enters the ring in the days following his massive victory against Mika Mielonen through a TKO. His last big fight was again Deontay Wilder in October last year, where he was knocked out in the first round.

Also Read: Unveiling Robert Helenius: Dillion Whyte’s Replacement, Anthony Joshua’s Upcoming Heavyweight Rival

There is a lot at stake for both fighters, and it is only on the 12th of August that will we know who stands tall at the end of the bout.

Do you think Robert Helenius was the best fit for Anthony Joshua? Let us know in the comments section below.

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