Anthony Joshua and Robert Helenius engaged in an intense face-off on Friday, as “AJ” asked his opponent at their weigh-in: “Have you got a problem with me?”
Helenius will fight Joshua at the O2 Arena in London on Saturday, after stepping in for Dillian Whyte, who returned an adverse drug-test result last week.
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Things have been cordial between Helenius, 39, and Joshua, 33, who were sparring partners in 2017, but that changed somewhat on Friday. After a long, intense staredown, Joshua asked Helenius: “You good? Have you got a problem with me? Seriously, is everything alright with you?
“Either we’re gonna fight now or we’re gonna fight tomorrow, either way we’re gonna fight.”
Helenius remained composed throughout, as Joshua called on his fellow heavyweight to “stay calm and stay cool”, perhaps trying to get inside the Finn’s head.
Briton Joshua tipped the scales at exactly 250lbs, five pounds lighter than his career-heaviest weight in April, when he beat Jermaine Franklin on points. Meanwhile, Helenius weighed in at 249.4lbs, a week on from his stoppage win over Mika Mielonen.
With that victory, Helenius bounced back from a first-round knockout loss to Deontay Wilder last October. Joshua’s win against Franklin also marked an upturn in form, after he suffered back-to-back points defeats by Oleksandr Usyk in 2021 and 2022.
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