Anthony Joshua put a full stop on a tentative fight with Robert Helenius with a stunning seventh round knockout.
The two-time world champion was faced with a late-replacement opponent for the third time in his career, and chose to save the show by facing the Finnish fighter rather than cancelling entirely.
Former fighter, promoter and pundit, Spencer Fearon, told Boxing Social in the wake of the fight that he had spoken to heavyweight legend, Lennox Lewis, about how it would play out – and he predicted it well.
“I was speaking to Lennox Lewis last week, Saturday, and Lennox was saying ‘I don’t like this fight for him.’ I asked him why, he said:
‘Cause he won’t look good in this fight, because he’s been preparing to fight Dillian Whyte. He’s been preparing to block Whyte’s horrible left hook, he’s been preparing to punch down. He’s not fighting a guy the same height as him – totally different.'”
Joshua got the knockout he was supposed to, but it was preceded by slow action that even saw fans in the arena boo at one stage – something that points to Lewis’ prediction coming true.
It was, in a way, a lose-lose for Joshua. Deontay Wilder previously knocked out Helenius in the first round – a result that Joshua was adamant played no part in the short preparation for his own fight, but likely was on his mind.
Nevertheless, the highlight reel stoppage is what makes the headlines, and ‘AJ’ moves ahead with confidence in his power when he needs it most. Some pundits also pointed out better footwork and defence.
He is close to signing a deal to face hard-hitting American heavyweight, Deontay Wilder. That battle of the former world champions is set to take place next year in Saudi Arabia.