Anthony Joshua has a new opponent for his show at the O2 Arena this Saturday.
A rematch against old foe Dillian Whyte that was seven-and-a-half years in the making came crashing down last weekend when Whyte returned an adverse analytical finding in a Voluntary Anti-Doping Agency (VADA) test.
Three days of frenzied conjecture followed, with several prominent heavyweights — most notably Andy Ruiz Jr, who touted a trilogy showdown with Joshua — putting their names in the frame.
Filip Hrgovic, Dempsey McKean, Derek Chisora and Gerald Washington are all in action on the Joshua undercard in London. Instead of any of that quartet stepping up into the main event, veteran heavyweight contender Robert Helenius is the man who has emerged from the pack – despite only fighting last weekend.
Here’s everything you need to know about ‘The Nordic Nightmare’.
WATCH: Joshua vs Helenius live and exclusive on DAZN
What is Robert Helenius’ boxing record?
The 39-year-old Finnish fighter has amassed a professional record of 32 wins and four defeats, with 21 of his victories coming inside the distance.
He won silver at the 2006 European Championships before making his pro debut in May 2008, stopping Gene Pukall in the first round after decking his German opponent three times.
That was the start of a 22-fight winning streak that spanned almost eight years and featured TKO victories over Wladimir Klitschko’s one-time conqueror Lamon Brewster and former world champions Samuel Peter and Siarhei Liakhovich.
Growing excitement over the notion that Helenius might be the man to succeed the Klitschko brothers as the dominant force in the heavyweight division was punctured by a 2011 European title fight against Chisora.
Although the home fighter was awarded a split decision in Helsinki, it was a widely disputed verdict, with plenty of onlookers feeling Chisora did more than enough to get the nod.
Helenius underwent shoulder surgery in the aftermath of his controversial win, meaning 13 months out. Unremarkable points successes over journeymen Sherman Williams and Michael Sprott preceded further injury woes and a contractual dispute with his promoters Sauerland.
MORE: Anthony Joshua vs late replacements, Carlos Takam and Andy Ruiz fights revisited
Who did Robert Helenius lose to?
By the time he knocked out Andras Csomor inside a round in March 2015, Helenius had been out for two years and the heavyweight division had moved on. Two months earlier, Deontay Wilder had beaten Bermane Stiverne to lift the WBC title and, before the end of the year, Tyson Fury would dethrone Wladimir Klitschko. The mantle of “next big thing” had been picked up by Joshua before an enraptured British public.
Helenius beat Franz Rill to become a two-time European champion but passed on a rematch with Chisora and vacated the belt. Instead, he faced Johann Duhaupas in April 2016, six months after the Frenchman had been battered by Wilder.
Back at Helsinki’s Hartwell Arena, the scene of the wins over Chisora, Rill and others, Helenius was floored in round four and knocked out in the sixth, brutally suffering a maiden career loss.
His second defeat came in far more forgettable fashion as he boxed 12 tentatively unambitious rounds against Whyte on the undercard of Joshua’s October 2017 IBF and WBA title defence against late-replacement Carlos Takam. Those threads from almost six years ago strangely coming together this weekend are now the most notable aspect of Helenius’ weekend in Cardiff.
Washington, who faces Chisora on Saturday, is another familiar face for Helenius. The pair engaged in an entertaining back-and-forth affair in July 2019 that ended with the American leaving his opponent flat on his back in round eight.
It appeared to be the end of the road for Helenius, but he responded with a three-fight winning streak, including back-to-back stoppages of Adam Kownacki.
MORE: Anthony Joshua: No way is Tyson Fury the G.O.A.T, and why should I fight Deontay Wilder?
Who won Deontay Wilder vs Robert Helenius?
That landed Helenius the gig as the opponent for Wilder’s comeback bout after his gruelling trilogy with Fury.
"It has been a tough road. I have been boxing for 25 years, so I'm a veteran in the sport. I've had my ups and downs,” Helenius told Sky Sports ahead of facing Wilder.
“I have had a lot of injuries on the way, but the last couple of years have been amazing, and a lot of good work's been done. People are going to see that I'm not that old, that I have a couple of years in me still.”
As it happened, he barely had more than a couple of minutes in him. Helenius looked to take the initiative and it proved to be his undoing in the closing second of round one at the Barclays Center as Wilder iced him coming in with a short right hand.
It was the most conclusive ending to a top-level career imaginable, an impression not shifted by a third-round stoppage of compatriot Mika Mielonen last Saturday. Helenius could now reside at domestic and European level, perhaps giving useful rounds to rising stars on the way up from time to time.
But events in London were already accelerating at that point and Helenius’ combination of being in fighting shape and coming through Mielonen unscathed have landed him this unlikely shot at Joshua.
WATCH: Joshua vs Helenius live and exclusive on DAZN
Let’s be honest, there are other factors at play. Helenius has strong fundamentals and a solid career resume. These become more attractive when you consider his probably sensible purse demands compared to others who touted themselves to face Joshua and the relative lack of threat he would offer compared to, for example, a Ruiz or a Hrgovic.
The expectation from Team Joshua will be that Helenius offers a handful of credible rounds where AJ can showcase the fruits of his work under new trainer Derrick James and claim the sort of explosive finish that has been lacking from his work over recent years. An upright heavyweight susceptible to straight shots should be made to measure for the 2012 Olympic champion if he is anywhere near his best form.
Nevertheless, it feels prudent to point out that the last time Joshua faced a late replacement with a fight against Wilder apparently on the horizon, he took on Ruiz at Madison Square Garden.