Savonlinna hosted an extraordinary boxing match on Saturday, where the former heavyweight European champion Robert Helenius and CEO of the security sector Mika Mielonen. The match ended in the third round with a technical knockout of Helenius.
In the match, the reach, skill and experience were on the side of the two-meter Helenius.
– It felt really good to compete in Finland. Hopefully also in the future, Helenius, 39, said after the match.
– Finland’s second toughest guy. I really appreciate Mika and he gave me a really good resistance.
In the match, Mielose, who is from Savonlinna, had the full support of the audience and received great applause when he entered the ring. “Mika, Mika, Mika!” – shouts of encouragement rang out in Olavinlinna.
– Immediately after the match, Robbe came to chat, and I told him that thank you for the opportunity, I will remember this all my life, Mielonen, 41, said in the ring.
– Thank you to the audience, partners and all the friends who traveled here from all over Finland and took time off from work, Mielonen continued feeling moved.
Mielonen blinked
In the first set, the 190-centimeter Mielonen kept up the tempo. In the final moments, Helenius gave strong pressure and took over the ISTV announcer Jari Rajalinin according to the estimate, the lot barely meets its name.
Mielonen was boxing with a strong brace on his right knee. Shipping specialist Pekka Mäken according to the report, a fractured leg had occurred during the finishing exercises.
Before the final decision of the match, Helenius was harassed in the corner of Mielonen’s ring and landed several punches. Finally, a sharp, right-hand hook thumped from Mielo to the left ear. Mielonen’s legs gave out and he stayed upright by taking support from the ropes. The referee stopped the match.
– Right decision from the judge. The leg already hurt a little there, then there was a hard hit. The stars were twinkling, said narrator Rajalin, and Mäki agreed.
Mielonen received praise from the experienced boxing coach Pekka Mäe.
– Think against whom and what kind of experience. You can’t help but give props, stated Mäki, and at the same time loud shouts of encouragement for Mielose rang out from the audience.
“There are always opportunities”
The starting points for Saturday’s match were anything but usual.
Helenius had last October’s knockout loss to the former world champion Deontay Wilder against. After the match in question, he even hinted that he would quit, but changed his words and quickly returned to hard training at home in Åland.
Read also: Robert Helenius explains the reasons for his surprise return – he wants to test his motivation against the amusing CEO
In his professional career, which started in 2008, Helenius has fought a total of 36 matches, of which he had won 31 before tonight (19 by knockout). At the same time, Helenius, who dominated Finnish heavyweight boxing, received a domestic boxer for the first time.
Mielonen started fighting in boxing in 2021. He had six knockout wins by this evening, but the opponents have not been big names. Before meeting Helenius, he said that the underdog status increases motivation for training, but he didn’t even think his chances were very high.
– Opportunities are always there, but it is a different matter whether they are bigger than winning the lottery, Mielonen told Ilta-Sanom in June.
In his civilian profession, Mielonen is the CEO of a security company, who played hockey in his youth.
In the public, the match between Helenius and Mielonen was also questioned in advance. We wondered why seasoned top man Helenius would fight against an “ordinary street person”, and on the other hand, we wondered why Mielonen would risk his health. Mielonen also denied that it was about money or publicity for him.
Mielonen said that the heavy work of the CEO requires heavy entertainment.
– Isn’t boxing’s heavyweight division quite suitable for that? I’m not doing this for the money, I want this challenge. That motivates me the most, Mielonen assured Urheilu in May.
– What else can happen in the ring than getting punched? No one can stab or shoot me there, it’s a very safe thing to do, he said to IS.
Helenius saw tonight’s match as a trend setter. If Helenius’ boxing career continues, his goal is to win the world championship belt again.
– You have to win a few big matches to get to such rings, yes it will take a few years, Helenius told Helsingin Sanomat about his plans.
– Hats off to him. He’s the second toughest guy in Finland when he dares to go against me, Helenius said before the match about Mielose.
The timing surprised me
Mielonen and his coach Simeon Kärkkäinen had not thought that the opportunity to meet Helenius would come so soon. The background behind the Olavinlinna match and the event is boxing coach Pekka Mäki, who, according to Mielonen, had asked the athletes separately if they wanted to fight each other.
– At some point, the goal was to take on Helenius, but not yet this early, Mielonen said and told that he did not see an option to refuse.
Helenius told Helsingin Sanomat his own view on the organization of the match. Helenius said that he had been asked to fight in Savonlinna, but the opponent was unknown.
– I was shown a video in which Mielonen threatened to knock me out. I then asked how about this guy.
So the match beforehand was not going to be a friendly match. After the match, however, Mielonen and Helenius were in the ring in very good spirits. Helenius pointed his finger at Mielo and praised him as a tough guy.