Helenius is defeated by Anthony Joshua in heavyweight contest

Deontay Wilder knocked out the 39-year-old Helenius in the opening round of their fight in October. Helenius entered the ring with 32 victories and four losses from his 36 professional fights.

On Saturday’s heavyweight fight, stand-in opponent Robert Helenius was defeated by former world champion Anthony Joshua after seven rounds.

After competing in Finland the previous weekend, Helenius was only called up when Dillian Whyte was forced to withdraw from what would have been an all-British bout due to “adverse analytical findings” in a doping test.

Deontay Wilder knocked out the 39-year-old Helenius in the opening round of their fight in October. Helenius entered the ring with 32 victories and four losses from his 36 professional fights.

On Saturday, he avoided repeating that humiliating defeat, but boos were heard during the third round at London’s O2 Arena due to Joshua’s cautious start.

But later in the round, Joshua struck Helenius with a right to the face after landing a left hook.

In the fourth, the hometown hero once more stunned Helenius before the seasoned Finn knocked Joshua out with a punch.

Although Joshua knocked Helenius to the ground with a left uppercut in the fifth round, he managed to survive and make it through an unremarkable sixth round.

Joshua did give his supporters what they came to see when he stopped Helenius in the seventh round with a devastating right-hand punch.

AFP