Helenius is old to be a top boxer, but coach Pekka Mäki still sees potential in him for big fights. Helenius’ achievements are already compared to boxing legend Gunnar Bärlund.
of Robert Helenius after the second consecutive knockout loss, many are wondering what the Finnish boxer will do next.
Helenius left for the London Grand Prix Anthony Joshua against with only a week’s notice, and the Finnish hitter, who returned from a nine-month match break, was not physically ready for a full 12-round match.
A coaching legend Pekka Mäken in my opinion, with proper preparation time, the match could have looked very different.
Helenius was significantly more active than Joshua in the first six rounds of the match. Joshua’s tempo was so calm that the home crowd tried to boo their favorite’s pace. However, in the seventh set, the strain got the better of the Finn.
– When you are tired, mistakes multiply and reactions disappear. Despite the knockout, Robert’s performance proved in my opinion that he is still able to challenge champions and the world’s top 10 boxers, Mäki, who was a cutman in Helenius’s corner, said after the match.
Cutman binds the contestant’s hands before putting on the gloves and during the match is responsible for patching up cuts and scrapes between rounds.
Helenius’ name carries weight
Next, Helenius’ close team will discuss the fighter’s future steps. According to Mäki, everything ultimately depends on the boxer’s own desire and motivation. For a family person like Helenius, continuing his career is not necessarily an easy decision.
– After boxing for 30 years and living a very ascetic life, does he still want to continue. These are tough decisions. Of course, there is more to life than elite sports, Mäki reflects.
Helenius has been aiming for a World Championship match throughout his long boxing career. In the early stages of his career, he picked up many notable victories over former world heavyweight champions such as Lamon of Brewster, of Samuel Peter and About Siarhei Liakhovich.
Despite the brutal knockout in the video below, Helenius showed that he can still contend with the Champions.
Helenius will turn 40 in less than six months. The Finn’s last years at the top of heavyweight boxing are almost upon us. However, according to Mäki, the “Nightmare of the North” still has something to give to the sport.
– I believe that with Helenius’ name and international visibility, he would still have big matches to pick. However, then all the signs must be in place and the preparation in order.
In Mäki’s opinion, it would be good for Finnish sports people to remember what kind of circles Helenius has been seen in. If the man’s successful career continues, you should enjoy the last moments to the fullest.
– Got to go by Gunnar Bärlund until the times when Helenius’ achievements can be compared. This is a really rare treat in Finnish boxing, says Mäki.
Considered the best Finnish heavyweight of all time, Bärlund fought for the last time in Charlotte, USA in 1948, when he suffered a defeat To Bill Wilson. He was 37 years old at the time.