Boxing fans groaned when Deontay Wilder announced his in-ring return on Saturday would be against fellow heavyweight contender Robert Helenius. They wanted to see Wilder step right back into the fire and battle either Andy Ruiz Jr. or Anthony Joshua.
Instead, Wilder picked the 38-year-old native of Sweden and Finland, who is coming off impressive back-to-back stoppage wins over Adam Kownacki. The criticism of Helenius being chosen stems from him being knocked out by guys Wilder stopped as well in Johann Duhaupas and Gerald Washington, respectively. The chatter has only grown as Wilder is an 8-1 favorite, according to BetMGM, to dispatch Helenius. People have wondered why "The Bronze Bomber" picked Helenius. To Helenius, Wilder could have selected a softer touch than him. And if Helenius pulls off the upset, he expects Wilder to ride off into the sunset.
"I have no clue (laughs)," Helenius told DAZN. "He could have chosen someone easier, but I think he wants to prove himself, and if he can’t prove himself, he's probably out."
Admittedly, Wilder said he was 85 percent out the door after losing two consecutive fights against Tyson Fury. Wilder said it took a statue ceremony in his honor to see he had more to offer boxing. There is a thought out there Wilder has a foot out the door, and Helenius might have a chance to capitalize on that.
"I can’t think about those things," Helenius admits. "I need to be 100 percent focused that he is 100 percent there. I need to do my best to win this fight."
One of the narratives heading into Saturday's contest has been that Wilder and Helenius have trained together twice in the past, most recently before the former faced Fury for the third time. Helenius fought on that undercard, stopping Kownacki in October 2021. Some feel fighters can learn, while some feel you don't learn a lot because you are helping the other fighter prepare for their own fight. Helenius is of the mindset the angle is getting blown out of proportion.
"I was preparing for the Kownacki fight. A whole different fighter. It’s hard," Helenius said. "Of course, you get some form of tactics and a little bit of awareness of how he is. But sparring is always boring, and a fight is a fight. Too much is getting made of us training together."