With potential fighters ahead, Anthony Joshua must clear an obstacle in the form of agent Robert Helenius in London on Saturday night. Joshua managed to do just that by stopping in the seventh round to set up his fight with Deontay Wilder in January, although the events leading up to that final round may not add much value to this fight. Joshua, who is fighting for the second time since his rematch with Oleksandr Usyk for the WBA, WBO, and IBF championships, was previously scheduled to face former world title contender Dillian Whyte. After failing a pre-fight drug test, Whyte withdrew from the fight and called Helenius a few days after winning the fight in Finland and less than a week before Saturday's clash. The fight was Helenius' first since Wilder defeated him in one round in a fight in October 2022. It quickly became clear that Joshua was not looking to improve on Wilder's performance against Helenius, but was working behind the jab and at least in the first round. When Joshua landed a hard right hand early in the round, he would back off instead of going for a big fight. The fight turned into a boxing match, and Helenius did a good enough job that Joshua had a bloody nose and a little swelling over his left eye.
But Joshua is always in control, even if the behavior is not very gentle and unhappy. Finally, in Round 7, Joshua completely surrendered with a right and ended the fight. With Helenius' back stuck on the ropes, Joshua got to the cross before landing a right hand over the top that sent Helenius crashing to the mat and ending the fight. After the victory in the battle that saw Joshua and Conor McGregor celebrate, he said the words he needed to impress Helenius. "Man, people will leave me alone," Joshua said. \"I do what I want. This is my time in this ring. People will let me break down a little while doing what I do. ... He has talent. I have to find him as a successor." Joshua then avoided wondering if the fight against Wilder would be next, joking that his back hurt because of the heavy division. Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn quickly confirmed plans for Joshua to continue fighting Wilder in his next outing, suggesting he is in the works for the January period after Joshua said he hoped to fight twice before the end of the year. "Yeah, that's the fight we want," Hearn said. “We have three strategies of attack, like it or not. It was Robert Helenius - known as Dillian Whyte - then Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury. It is ambitious. Whether you support Josh and think he will make it or not, things have changed. It is now a mature burden. I know everyone wants to see knockouts in the first, second and third rounds, but against Helenius, he took his time and did it in one of the best fights of the year. We think he can go on to beat Deontay Wilder. "
"Man, people need to leave me alone," Joshua said. "I do what I want. This is my time in this ring. People need to let me break a bit and let me keep doing what I do. ... He's got talent. I had to figure him out as a late replacement." "Yes, it's the fight we want," Hearn said. "We have a three-fight plan, like it or not. It was Robert Helenius -- was supposed to be Dillian Whyte -- and then Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury. That's the ambition. Whether you back Josh and think he can do it or he can't, things have changed. He's now a mature heavyweight. I know everyone wants to see first, second, third round KOs, but against Helenius, he took his time and did it with one of the knockouts of the year. We believe he can go on and beat Deontay Wilder."
