Former world heavyweight champion knows he cannot fail against the Finn as he tries to rebuild his boxing career
“I can’t fail,” Anthony Joshua says quietly when asked if he feels under intense pressure to perform with explosive force against Robert Helenius on Saturday night in London. The former world heavyweight champion looks up and repeats those words before trying to add a positive gloss to his unenviable situation. “I can’t fail. That’s good pressure. Fight hard and win.”
His 6ft 9in opponent from Finland has been drafted in as a late replacement, having had only a week to prepare for the bout after Dillian Whyte failed a drugs test. Helenius is given little chance outside his own camp but Joshua is trying to rebuild his career after a difficult period in which he lost his world heavyweight titles to Oleksandr Usyk, who then beat him again in their rematch last August.
Written by Donald McRae
This news first appeared on https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2023/aug/11/anthony-joshua-aims-to-take-out-robert-helenius-in-the-first-round-boxing under the title “Joshua at the crossroads: Helenius a first step to reviving tattered AJ Show | Donald McRae”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.
