The comeback that has been analysed and prophesised for months lasted all of three minutes. ‘The Bronze Bomber’ couldn’t have re-announced himself any better.
Finland’s Robert Helenius came to the ring in an intimidatingly simple black hood to a simple, bassy beat. ‘The Nordic Nightmare’ then watched as his opponent made his first fight entrance in a year, wearing a black mask and a black and gold top. Wilder looked calm, basking in the Brooklyn crowd.
If you’re wondering why so much time is being spent on the ring walks, it’s because the fight was over in the first round. It didn’t always seem like that was going to be the case – in fact the first couple of minutes were measured and careful from both fighters.
Wilder moved around the ring and evaded some shots from his opponent, teasing a new defence that we haven’t seen a huge amount of in the past. He threw out range finders as Helenius plodded forward.
And then, as Helenius walked in with his chin exposed, Wilder unleashed a right hand on the back foot that put his lights out. The eyes of Helenius rolled back in his head as doctors entered the ring before the count was over. ‘The Bronze Bomber’ is back – and he’s been kind enough to bring the power that some call the most devastating the sport has ever seen. After that punch, it’s something that’s hard to argue against.
DEONTAY WILDER PUTS HELENIUS TO SLEEP IN THE FIRST ROUND pic.twitter.com/w4g71M9lBl
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) October 16, 2022
Post-fight, he thanked God and Brooklyn, mentioned an ironic amount of training time, and talked potential opponents.
“We wanted to make this fun again. You can do this for so long until it just becomes a job, just something that you’re doing … We put over seven hundred and twenty, or thirty something round in.”
“Who’s next? I’ve been hearing rumours about [Olesksandr] Usyk. I see he ain’t in the building, or is he?”
“I’m down for whatever. Whether it’s Andy Ruiz, or Usyk, or whoever. Let’s bring it on. Deontay Wilder is back. The excitement in the heavyweight division is back. There’s no heavyweight division without Deontay Wilder. That’s facts.”
Facts indeed. Elsewhere on the card, Caleb Plant knocked out veteran Anthony Dirrell in the ninth round. The one-shot finish will set Plant’s super-middleweight campaign back in motion following his title loss to Saul ‘Canelo’ Álvarez in November 2021.