Deontay Wilder v Robert Helenius 15th October 2022

[Master]

Deontay Wilder has trimmed down for his fight against Robert Helenius after feeling "sluggish" in his defeat by Tyson Fury last year.

Wilder, 36, looks for his first win in almost three years when returns to the ring on Saturday night against former sparring partner Robert Helenius. 'The Bronze Bomber' hasn't fought since being knocked out by heavyweight champion Fury in their epic trilogy fight, but Wilder looks to begin the road back to title contention with a win against Helenius in New York.

In his year away from the ring, Wilder has considerably trimmed down after weighing a career-heavy 238lb for his third fight against Fury and last night scaled 214lb. The American weighed in at 212lb for their first fight in 2018 but he made the strategic decision to bulk up in size for their meeting last October in the hopes of knocking Fury out.

Insisting the extra weight made him perform worse on the night, Wilder explained why he went on a weight loss journey ahead of his comeback fight. “Weight is not going to be what we worry about in this fight or fights in the future,” he said.

“We gained a lot of weight the last fight, just [because] of others’ expectations of seeing my body a certain way. I was interested in seeing my body frame in a certain weight as well. But at this moment in time, I go back to what I’m used to and what’s comfortable to me and what’s comfortable with my body frame and that’s gonna be around maybe in the 220s or maybe under.

"I felt a little sluggish, a little heavy. I never been 240lb ever in my life before, but it was an experiment that I wanted to try and we did what we had to do to get the weight put on there. That’s an experience up in the history books for me. Te only way to become wise is apply knowledge to life and we’ve gained a lot of knowledge from that, now we know what to do moving forward.”

The former heavyweight champion claims to have sparred almost 600 rounds in less than a month in preparation for Helenius, who is unbeaten in over three years. 'The Nordic Nightmare' upset the odds when he knocked out Adam Kownacki in the last boxing event before the Covid-19 pandemic cancelled all sporting events, with Helenius proving his win was no fluke by stopping Kownacki in their rematch on the undercard of Fury vs Wilder 3.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/boxin...-news-28241037

[Spicoli]

A few prelims on FS1 begin at 6pm here. Michel Rivera v Jerry Perez Lts and Vito Mielnicki Jr v Limberth Ponce Jr Middle.

[Spicoli]

Gurgen Hovhannisyan out of Armenia, all 6'7 280lbs of him fighting Michael Coffie here. He may look like the big brother of Kownacki but moves much better for a big man.

I'll start early..anyone have a link for main card

[Spicoli]

Coffie looked to have him wobbled but more off balance mid 3rd. For their size both landing some fast shots. Big step up for just 3 pro starts.

[Spicoli]

Hovhannisyan with the 6 round tko as ref stops in between rounds, little objection from Coffie. Top ranked 135 Michel Rivera in a showcase with six round fighter Jerry Perez now. With the depth at 135 it's astonishing they're so adept at avoiding each other. Do better PBC.

[Spicoli]

Faster start in 6th for Rivera think corner said let's go. Perez hurt to body. Tough enough but well in over his head here.

[Spicoli]

On nice 1-2 gives Perez his own hope and ref warns him for low blow but was beltline. Brian Kenny calling this like it was Leonard v Hearns . Rivera has some serious talent but he really needs to do impressive things to separate himself at the highest level.

By the looks of Haney on the scale all the belts are about to be up for grabs if (when) he moves up. So now's the time for guys like Rivera to turn up the heat.

[TIC]

Gurgen Hovhannisyan out of Armenia, all 6'7 280lbs of him fighting Michael Coffie here. He may look like the big brother of Kownacki but moves much better for a big man.

i'm going to keep an eye on this guy. he's only twenty four as well. i hope he keeps stepping up