Robert Helenius will face the former heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua on Saturday in London. The two measured each other already at the weigh-in.
Anu Karttunen,
Jari Kärkkäinen
A shopping center in West London’s Shepherd’s Bush was packed with spectators from toddlers to senior citizens as the heavyweight stars of Saturday’s boxing night, Great Britain Anthony Joshua33, and “Northern Nightmare” Robert Helenius39, entered the arena for the weigh-in.
Helenius has had quite a week behind him, as he returned to the ring last Saturday after a ten-month break. At that time, he was still wondering if he would continue his professional career after this.
Helenius’ career took quite a turn after the match in Savonlinna. He got a quick call to face former world champion and Olympic champion Anthony Joshua in a 12-round match, because Joshua’s original opponent Dillian Whyte ambiguities were found in the doping test.
Professional boxing has a strong foothold in Great Britain and it rose to the occasion. It was organized in the style of the big world, but they wanted to bring the sport closer to people.
As is often the case with a successful sports promoter Eddie Hearn’s boxing events, numerous current and former professionals had arrived. The weighing was followed by things familiar to Finns Derek Chisora with background teams, former heavyweight champion of the world David Hayewho fought for the WBC heavyweight championship Gerald Washington and currently working as a commentator Tony Bellew.
However, the biggest star of the weigh-in was Anthony Joshua. While Helenius received polite applause after entering the stage, the decibels and screams rose to the next level when it was Joshua’s turn.
Helenius stepped on the scale first. It showed readings of 249.4 pounds or 113 kilograms to the Finnish competitor. It made Helenius look pleased with his biceps. The atmosphere was at its peak when Joshua took off his shirt and got on the scale. His weight was exactly 250 pounds, or 400 grams more than Helenius. Britti contented himself with tapping his fist a couple of times on his chest before leaving the pound.
The strangest moment of the weigh-in was experienced in the traditional stare down of the competitors, when the usually calm Joshua got nervous on Helenius.
Both Joshua and Helenius stared at each other for an unusually long time. Promoter Hearn, who was standing in the middle of the duo, looked at the competitors at regular intervals as if waiting to see who would give up first. When neither made a move to stop, the nearly even-sized Hearn stepped in and signaled that now was the time.
However, Helenius kept his eyes on Joshua, and this made the Briton nervous.
– Do you have problems? Joshua asked Helenius who still continued to stare.
– I have no problems, Helenius replied, when Joshua gave in and turned his face away from Helenius.
When Joshua turned his gaze back, he noticed that Helenius was still staring.
– Really? Joshua asked and stated that the two could also fight at that moment or tomorrow.
– However, we will fight somehow. Keep calm, keep cool.
– I’m cool, Helenius answered, turned to the photographers and showed his hair.
Helenius, who arrived for an interview with Urheilu after the weigh-in, said that Joshua tried to get under his skin. However, Helenius felt that he got the upper hand because he made Joshua nervous.
– I don’t give up in a staring contest, just like I don’t give up in boxing. He lost his nerve when I didn’t look away before him and then he started opening his head, Helenius said.
– He is a small problem for me, but not in that respect at least.