Boxing coach Pekka Mäki was clarifying the controversy related to the boxing gloves of the super match. According to Mäki, the Finn’s chance of even a clear victory is hidden behind the lack of equipment.
Juuso Koskinen,
Jari Kärkkäinen
of Robert Helenius and Anthony Joshua Saturday night’s encounter has sparked lightning strikes in both camps.
Last night, Helenius’s feelings heated up when Joshua had changed his boxing gloves to harder ones secretly from Helenius. The Finn was upset about the cheating, because it had been previously agreed that both would fight with softer gloves.
Helenius was offered Grant brand gloves for the match, which Helenius himself described as “pillows”. However, Joshua surprisingly brought his own brand’s significantly harder gloves to the pre-match preview, which did not match the ones offered to Helenius.
The Finn’s team demanded that the matter be rectified. A domestic star coach in Helenius’ background Pekka Mäki was settling a glove dispute.
– We said that we want a level playing field. Let’s take both with the same gloves and there will be no disagreements, Mäki added in an interview with Urheilu.
After Helenius’ team’s claims, identical gloves were delivered to the Finnish striker’s hotel on the day of the match.
– This required a bit of behind-the-scenes action, so to speak. Everything is fine now and hopefully Hanskagate is now clear and there is no need to worry about it anymore at the hall, says Mäki.
The match has a huge meaning
Mäki was the promoter when Helenius won Mika Mielonen in Savonlinna last weekend. In the past, Mäki has influenced top Finnish boxers, such as Amin Asikainen, Even Tatlin and Juho Tolppolan as a coach.
Now he works in London in the Helenius team as a cutman. 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.
The British are passionate boxing fans and Joshua is a world famous superstar of the sport. The home match of Oma kultapapa is a huge media event, which according to Mäki has been seen in London’s street scene. The giant match is also of great importance to Finnish professional boxing.
– This is one of the biggest boxing events in the history of Finnish fighters. Domestic boxing must raise its hat to Helenius. It’s not everyday that Finns are seen on such big stages. I’m itching to make Finnish sports history today, says Mäki.
Joshua has had a long career and made a lot of money from boxing. Mäki speculates that Joshua, who is in a downturn, may have a hard time with the “Northern nightmare”.
– If it comes to the hoe at the very beginning, I don’t know if Joshua will still have the will to the World Cup match. I believe that Robert has a chance for a clear victory even before full time, says Mäki.
The match between Helenius and Joshua starts on the night between Saturday and Sunday in London at 0:30 Finnish time.