Anthony Joshua took out Robert Helenius in the seventh round at the O2 Arena on Saturday.
Helenius had stepped in at short notice to fight former heavyweight champion Joshua after original opponent Dillian Whyte was pulled from the show after returning an adverse anti-doping finding
Helenius surprised when he took Joshua into the second half of their contest but then with a single shot, a huge right cross to the jaw, Joshua extinguished his efforts, dropping him heavily at 1-27 of the seventh round.
Joshua was due to renew hostilities with old rival Dillan Whyte on this show. But that bout had to be cancelled after Whyte returned adverse analytic findings in the pre-fight anti-doping protocols.
It left Joshua looking for a replacement opponent at just a week’s notice and Helenius, moments after he had taken a three-round victory over Mika Mielonen last weekend in Finland made himself available for this fight.
After being knocked out in the first round by Deontay Wilder, Helenius was seizing an opportunity to return to action at the top tier of the heavyweight division. He began with spirit too, rushing out in the first round to cuff punches at Joshua’s guard.
By the second round Joshua was taking control. He lunged in with a left hook to catch Helenius. His jab thumped into the body but he wouldn’t rush himself.
Joshua might gradually have been taking the measure of this short-notice opponent, having a close look at him. But that wasn’t what the crowd wanted to see. They wanted more action.
As early as the third round boos began to ring out from some quarters of the arena, a demand for urgency.
Joshua answered that call though and launched a right cross flush into Helenius’ jaw. It connected and a cursory glance at Helenius showed it was a hurtful punch.
But the Finn collected himself. He withstood a charge in the next round and boxed through it. In the fifth, with Helenius backed into the ropes, Joshua smacked in a right that struck so hard the thud was audible.
The pace leaked out of the contest in the sixth round and if Joshua was affronted to see Helenius still in with him in the latter half of the contest, he finished matters with a sudden burst of speed.
His jab flicked out, distracting Helenius and the right carved a path through to hit the Finn cleanly to the jaw.
The blasting shot dropped him heavily, ending the contest at once.
The result, and the manner of the finish, clearly delighted Joshua. He even left the ring to celebrate before returning to have his hand formally raised by the referee.
He took his time but eventually Joshua got exactly the ending he wanted.
