“I don’t know if AJ could do that” - Unanimous Decision victory not enough for Anthony Joshua, claims Ariel Helwani
Ariel Helwani thinks Anthony Joshua needs a knockout win in his next boxing match against Robert Helenius.
On Saturday, August 12, Joshua was scheduled to fight Dillian Whyte in a twelve-round main event. Unfortunately, Whyte failed a pre-fight drug test, forcing ‘AJ’ to find another opponent on short notice. In steps Helenius, who suffered a brutal first-round knockout loss against Deontay Wilder in October 2022.
Helenius has regained momentum since losing against Wilder by securing a knockout win last week, August 5. Although ‘The Nordic Nightmare’ is a solid opponent, most people believe ‘AJ’ should be able to win inside the distance.
During a video posted on Twitter, Helwani had this to say about Joshua’s upcoming fight:
“We’ve seen Helenius get knocked out by the likes of Deontay Wilder in very quick fashion. I don’t know if AJ can do that, but a dominant stoppage I think would be just what the doctor ordered for Anthony Joshua.”
Helwani concluded by saying:
“He needs to get back on track. He needs to get his mojo and confidence back, and I think a sort of ho-hum decision won’t do the trick. He needs a dominant stoppage, short notice, get the Deontay Wilder fight, and now we’re in business, now we're cooking with gas.”
Ariel Helwani believes Anthony Joshua needs to defeat Robert Helenius in under four rounds to make a statement
Anthony Joshua is one of the biggest superstars in boxing. With that said, some fans believe his skills are declining after losing his last three fights, two losses against Oleksandr Usyk, and a win against Jermaine Franklin.
As a result, Ariel Helwani believes Joshua needs to make a statement against Robert Helenius. The Canadian-American MMA journalist had this to say in a message posted on Twitter:
“Tough spot for AJ. If he wins a dominant decision it will be very underwhelming, considering how Wilder beat Helenius. He has to win in under 4, imo, to prove he’s a different man under the tutelage of James and that he still has that fire”
Joshua won’t be overlooking Helenius on Saturday night, especially considering the short-notice changes in styles for his opponent. If ‘AJ’ can emerge victorious, he could potentially secure a blockbuster matchup against Deontay Wilder or another top-ranked heavyweight.
Only time will tell if the Watford native can get past ‘The Nordic Nightmare.’