Anthony Joshua vs Robert Helenius Boxing odds, time and prediction
Date: 2023-08-09 Author: Kirill Zagoruyko Categories: SPORTS BETTING
Anthony Joshua was originally supposed to take on Dillian Whyte this coming Saturday in a rematch of their 2015 fight. However, White failed a drug test, causing the fight to be cancelled. To save the day, AJ agreed to fight a much lesser-known opponent, for which, according to his manager, Eddie Hearn, he had to take a pay cut.
But that's not Joshua's biggest problem. He was preparing for White, but now he will have to face another opponent. We are talking about 39-year-old Finnish boxer Robert Helenius, who has a higher knockout-to-win ratio than Andy Ruiz Jr., the only boxer to knock out Joshua.
Anthony Joshua vs. Robert Helenius Odds
Money Line Odds
Anthony Joshua -1600
Robert Helenius +900
When, where and how to watch?
Location : O2 Arena in London, UK
Date : Saturday, August 12
Time : ~18:00 ET
How to watch : DAZN
Anthony Joshua needs to be especially careful on Saturday
Anthony Joshua's overall score is 25-3 with 22 KO/TKO wins. He is one of the best boxers in the world, and only two heavyweights can be better than him - Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury. If the fight with White had taken place, we think that AJ would have no problems with the victory.
There is no doubt that AJ is also superior to his new opponent. He is more technical and also more agile and even stronger than Robert Helenius. However, the fact is that he did not prepare for this fight. White tested positive earlier this week, meaning Joshu and his team will only have a couple of days to come up with a good strategy to deal with Helenius.
The reason this should worry his fans is that something similar happened before his first fight with Andy Ruiz Jr. AJ was originally supposed to fight Jarrell Miller, but the fight was canceled after he tested positive for a banned substance. Ruiz Jr. replaced him - with two months' notice - and defeated Joshua by TKO.
It was the first loss of Joshua's career and remains his only distance loss in his nearly 10-year professional boxing career.
Is Robert Helenius the new Andy Ruiz Jr?
Robert Helenius is 32-4 overall with 21 KO/TKO wins. This means that his ratio of knockouts to wins is approximately 65%. Interestingly, Andy Ruiz Jr.'s percentage is 62%. Does this mean Helenius can do what Ruiz Jr did to Joshua?
Joshua's odds against Helenius suggest he can't. The main reason is that he simply doesn't have good stats against high quality fighters. At least not in the last couple of years. He did beat Derek Chisora in a title fight, but that was a long time ago - back in 2011.
In recent years, we have seen him fight a couple of famous boxers including Dillian Whyte and Deontay Wilder. However, he lost both of these fights.
Anthony Joshua Prediction vs Robert Helenius
In 2019, Anthony Joshua lost a +2500 underdog in what remains one of the biggest upsets in heavyweight division history. Four years later, he takes on the underdog +900 and we think he will win this time around.
He is much, much better than Helenius and knows that Finn has a nuclear option. That's why AJ will probably be even more cautious than usual, but that won't stop him from taking the win.
Pick: Anthony Joshua (win)
But that's not Joshua's biggest problem. He was preparing for White, but now he will have to face another opponent. We are talking about 39-year-old Finnish boxer Robert Helenius, who has a higher knockout-to-win ratio than Andy Ruiz Jr., the only boxer to knock out Joshua.
Anthony Joshua vs. Robert Helenius Odds
Money Line Odds
Anthony Joshua -1600
Robert Helenius +900
When, where and how to watch?
Location : O2 Arena in London, UK
Date : Saturday, August 12
Time : ~18:00 ET
How to watch : DAZN
Anthony Joshua needs to be especially careful on Saturday
Anthony Joshua's overall score is 25-3 with 22 KO/TKO wins. He is one of the best boxers in the world, and only two heavyweights can be better than him - Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury. If the fight with White had taken place, we think that AJ would have no problems with the victory.
There is no doubt that AJ is also superior to his new opponent. He is more technical and also more agile and even stronger than Robert Helenius. However, the fact is that he did not prepare for this fight. White tested positive earlier this week, meaning Joshu and his team will only have a couple of days to come up with a good strategy to deal with Helenius.
The reason this should worry his fans is that something similar happened before his first fight with Andy Ruiz Jr. AJ was originally supposed to fight Jarrell Miller, but the fight was canceled after he tested positive for a banned substance. Ruiz Jr. replaced him - with two months' notice - and defeated Joshua by TKO.
It was the first loss of Joshua's career and remains his only distance loss in his nearly 10-year professional boxing career.
Is Robert Helenius the new Andy Ruiz Jr?
Robert Helenius is 32-4 overall with 21 KO/TKO wins. This means that his ratio of knockouts to wins is approximately 65%. Interestingly, Andy Ruiz Jr.'s percentage is 62%. Does this mean Helenius can do what Ruiz Jr did to Joshua?
Joshua's odds against Helenius suggest he can't. The main reason is that he simply doesn't have good stats against high quality fighters. At least not in the last couple of years. He did beat Derek Chisora in a title fight, but that was a long time ago - back in 2011.
In recent years, we have seen him fight a couple of famous boxers including Dillian Whyte and Deontay Wilder. However, he lost both of these fights.
Anthony Joshua Prediction vs Robert Helenius
In 2019, Anthony Joshua lost a +2500 underdog in what remains one of the biggest upsets in heavyweight division history. Four years later, he takes on the underdog +900 and we think he will win this time around.
He is much, much better than Helenius and knows that Finn has a nuclear option. That's why AJ will probably be even more cautious than usual, but that won't stop him from taking the win.
Pick: Anthony Joshua (win)
