Robert Helenius, despite recognizing Anthony Joshua as a heavyweight of elite stature, speculates that Joshua might still be grappling with the psychological aftermath of his defeat to Andy Ruiz Jr. and his grueling face-off with Wladimir Klitschko. Helenius attributes Joshua’s evolving strategy in the ring to a combination of these past encounters and a switch in trainers, the latest being Derrick James.
In their forthcoming showdown at London’s O2 Arena, Helenius anticipates a version of Joshua that’s more strategic than the one he sparred with in the early phases of Joshua's career. “He’s grown as a boxer... I’m gonna have to be a hundred percent [there mentally] to get this win,” Helenius remarked in a chat with DAZN commentators.
The unexpected opportunity for Helenius emerged when Dillian Whyte, initially slated to fight Joshua, was flagged for performance-enhancing drugs by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association. Drawing parallels, Ruiz, who had replaced another Joshua opponent due to a PED issue, managed to floor Joshua multiple times, culminating in a seventh-round termination of the bout, even though he had been an underdog.
Helenius, however, doesn’t perceive that overpowering Joshua is the sole path to victory. Instead, he emphasizes the significance of agility and quickness in their face-off.
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