Anthony Joshua and Robert Helenius engaged in an intense face-off on Friday, as “AJ” requested his opponent at their weigh-in: “Have you got a problem with me?”
Helenius will combat Joshua on the O2 Arena in London on Saturday, after stepping in for Dillian Whyte, who returned an opposed drug-test consequence final week.
Things have been cordial between Helenius, 39, and Joshua, 33, who had been sparring companions in 2017, however that modified considerably on Friday. After an extended, intense staredown, Joshua requested Helenius: “You good? Have you got a problem with me? Seriously, is everything alright with you?
“Either we’re gonna fight now or we’re gonna fight tomorrow, either way we’re gonna fight.”
Helenius remained composed all through, as Joshua known as on his fellow heavyweight to “stay calm and stay cool”, maybe making an attempt to get contained in the Finn’s head.
Briton Joshua tipped the scales at precisely 250lbs, 5 kilos lighter than his career-heaviest weight in April, when he beat Jermaine Franklin on factors. Meanwhile, Helenius weighed in at 249.4lbs, every week on from his stoppage win over Mika Mielonen.
With that victory, Helenius bounced again from a first-round knockout loss to Deontay Wilder final October. Joshua’s win towards Franklin additionally marked an upturn in type, after he suffered back-to-back factors defeats by Oleksandr Usyk in 2021 and 2022.
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