Wilder Scores First-round KO In Return To Boxing

Deontay Wilder’s fight against Robert Helenius ended before it properly started after Wilder’s punch knocked out his opponent barely 3 minutes into the fight. The fight marked Wilder’s return to boxing since his loss to Tyson Fury last year. After the fight, Wilder called out Andy Ruiz Jr. and heavyweight champion, Oleksandr Usyk as his next possible opponents. 

Wilder entered the fight coming from back-to-back defeats, the only two in his career, in the hands of Fury. His fight in the early hours of Sunday was typically how one would expect a fixture with Wilder to go — with Wilder going home as the winner. 

The match started out great, with both boxers taking fair shorts at each other. As the round progressed, former WBC heavyweight titleholder, Wilder, backed into a corner, where he was chased by Helenius. Wilder unleashed his right hand and sent Helenius to the ground, unable to rise before the count was over. Wilder knocked Helenius out and used it to further his record, taking his number of wins by knockout to 42 out of 43 fights. 

Speaking after the match, Wilder took a swipe at Helenius as he said that anyone who was planning to face him must come prepared: “When you fight Deontay Wilder, you have to have your A-plus-plus game. I set him up. I allowed him to reach, and when he reached, I attacked. It was a great fight.”

He also used the end of the fight to announce his return to boxing and mentioned people who could be his next opponent: “When guys see these knockouts, they turn the corner away from me. So, I’m down for whatever, whether it’s Andy Ruiz or Usyk; let’s bring it on.

“Deontay is back, and the excitement in the heavyweight division is back.