We have another heavyweight Betfred sponsored fight on Saturday night, as Anthony Joshua returns to his spiritual home of the O2 Arena to fight Robert Helenius. We’ve previewed the fight and given you our suggested best bets.
Anthony Joshua vs Robert Helenius Betting Tips
- Anthony Joshua to win on points – 9/2
The Heavyweight division continues to be a laughing stock and lurch from crisis to crisis.
After the on-off battles between Fury-Usyk, Fury-AJ and AJ-Wilder, we ended up with AJ-Whyte and Fury-Ngannou. Except we didn’t.
Dillian Whyte returned an adverse finding in an anti-doping test and the PPV event was apparently off.
In stepped big Finn Robert Helenius (32-4-0 (21ko)), at just one week’s notice and it was back on, only not on PPV this time.
You can’t question the big man’s heart, after fighting in his home country just a week ago but you can certainly question the quality of this match up.
The 39-year-old Stockholm resident has never really been at world level, fought on Saturday and was stopped by Deontay Wilder in the first round, back in 2022.
If Anthony Joshua (25-3-0 (22ko)) still has enough fire in his belly and gas in the tank, he needs to think about doing similar to Wilder did on Saturday night.
Then perhaps the best can start fighting the best again? Chance would be a fine thing…
Where and when is the fight taking place?
The fight is happening at the O2 Arena in London, on Saturday, 12th August and will be broadcast live and exclusively on DAZN in the UK. The event is a Eddie Hearn promotion for Matchroom Boxing. The show will start at around 6pm, with the main ring walk taking place at around 10pm, UK time.
What does the full fight card look like?
- MAIN EVENT: Anthony Joshua vs Robert Helenius
- Filip Hrgovic vs Demsey McKean
- Derek Chisora vs Gerald Washington
- Johnny Fisher vs Harry Armstrong
- Campbell Hatton vs Tom Ansell
- Maisey Rose Courtney vs Gemma Ruegg
- George Liddard vs Bas Oosterweghel
- Brandon Scott vs Louis Norman
(subject to change)
Who’s the favourite?
AJ is as short as you can be pretty much, as the 1/20 favourite for this hastily rearranged fight, with Helenius a 8/1 outsider. The bookies have the draw all the way out at 25/1.
What’s been said?
The Betfred Lightweight Show hosts Anthony Crolla and Dom McGuinness spoke to all the main players at the press conference to get their thoughts on this last minute arranged fight.
“You honestly become a bit numb to it (late fight changes).
AJ wanted to fight, no PPV and you’ve still got a good value card on normal subscription.
Helenius is a good opponent, he’s a big lump at 6 ft 9.
Last time AJ had a last minute replacement due to a drug test, he fought and lost to Andy Ruiz , so he has to be careful”
Eddie Hearn
“It’s not the ideal situation, we’ve made the most of a bad situation but I did think of the undercard fighters.
I don’t feel any extra pressure (fighting Helenius) but I always put pressure on myself.
I sparred Robert back in 2017, I can’t remember it but he said I was a bit robotic
He’s a game opponent, let me deal with this one and then I’ll speak about Wilder”
Anthony Joshua
“I’ve been waiting for this my whole life. Everything I’ve done has been leading up to this point.
I fought last week, so I’ve been training a lot and waiting for an opportunity like this.
I’ve been waiting 15 years for a world title fight. This is my golden ticket.”
Robert Helenius
Anthony Joshua to win on points – 9/2
I’m going against the grain here, against the bookies and against all the major boxing pundits.
Don’t get me wrong. AJ in the past would have disposed of Helenius inside 3 rounds. But this is not the Joshua of old.
I don’t like the way he sounds in press conferences, fear he has taken too much punishment and frankly don’t think he should be fighting anymore.
He still has enough to beat the Finland fighter but I think this could be a laborious, frustrating night.
AJ has just one stoppage win in his last six fights and three of those bouts were losses.
The killer instinct simply isn’t there any more and I like the 9/2 on offer for him to win in the full distance.
*All prices correct at the time of writing.
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