"We're gonna fight now or we're gonna fight tomorrow" - Anthony Joshua and Robert Helenius exchange heated words in intense face-off
Former unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua is set to face WBA gold world heavyweight title holder Robert Helenius on August 12 at the O2 Arena after 'AJ's' original opponent Dillian Whyte was forced out of the bout because of a failed drug test.
The fight is merely hours away, and the fighters seem to be itching to get their hands on each other. The duo's final face-off ended in a heated exchange of words as 'AJ' warned his opponent for his passive-aggressive behavior.
At the face-off, Helenius kept staring at Josuha even after the Brit turned to look at the cameras following the staredown. Noticing the animosity from his opponent, Joshua stated:
"Have you got a problem with me? Either we're gonna fight now, or we're gonna fight tomorrow, either way, we're gonna fight. Acting out here doesn't really mean sh*t to me unless you're going to fight me here now. You know what I'm trying to say? Just stay calm, just stay cool."
Catch the intense face-off below (5:03):
Anthony Joshua holds a record of 25-3 with wins over former world champions, including Wladimir Klitschko, Joseph Parker, and Andy Ruiz. However, 'AJ's' once-stellar career has since declined, with two back-to-back defeats against Oleksandr Usyk.
Regardless, Joshua will be coming to the O2 Arena fresh off his unanimous decision win over Jermaine Franklin Jr. earlier this year.
Meanwhile, Robert Helenius sports a record of 32-4. The Swedish-born Finnish boxer clinched a third-round TKO victory against Mika Mielonen earlier this month.
Anthony Joshua vs. Robert Helenius:'The Nordic Nightmare' sees short-notice fight with 'AJ' as his "golden ticket" for a world championship fight
Although Robert Helenius has held multiple regional titles in boxing, a world title has still eluded him in his decade-and-a-half-long boxing career. And that's precisely why 'The Nordic Nightmare' accepted to fight Anthony Joshua, merely a week after his last outing.
During an interview with Fight Hub TV's Michelle Joy Phelps, Helenius spoke about him saving the fight card as a last-minute replacement and his intention behind accepting such a risky endeavor:
"Everything [this fight means] everything because I've been chasing [a] world championship for 15 years, and I've not gotten there... [I've] knocked out like Samuel Peter, Lamon Brewster... Siarhei Liakhovich, also old heavyweight champions. Then I had a really bad injury... but I've been in this game a long, long time. I think this is my golden ticket."
Catch Robert Helenius' comments on Anthony Joshua below (1:45):