Finnish contender Robert Helenius is awaiting further details of his final eliminator for the WBA Super heavyweight crown, currently held by unified champion Anthony Joshua.
Former champion Andy Ruiz Jr. and Cuban veteran Luis Ortiz are among possible opponents vying for the right to become Joshua’s mandatory with other, higher ranked contenders Deontay Wilder and Oleksandr Usyk set to fight for the WBC and WBO crowns respectively.
Helenius (30-3, 19 KOs) gatecrashed the title picture with a shock stoppage of the heavily-hyped Adam Kownacki at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn back in March. He will now face a highly-rated WBA contender for the chance to face Joshua or whoever holds that crown. Joshua is scheduled to face IBF mandatory Kubrat Pulev later this year before a possible two-fight series with WBC champion Tyson Fury in 2021.
“I think [the WBA] are going [into] that discussion now with [Helenius’s promoter] PBC for the final eliminator fight,” Helenius told Sky Sports. “I hope they are planning to do that.
“Of course. I think [I’ll fight] anybody. I have to win every fight to get to a world championship fight, so I’m ready for anybody [including Ruiz and Ortiz, also PBC fighters].
“[Joshua and Pulev] are very good fighters, but they have very different styles,” added Helenius, who has sparred both men in the past. “It’s going to be very interesting. It’s also scouting for me. I would know where [Joshua] stands and how he can take me on.”