Robert Helenius claims Deontay Wilder will punch similarly to two former heavyweight champions, Lamon Brewster and Samuel Peter.
Helenius battles Wilder in the main event this Saturday night on the back of two wins over Adam Kownacki.
Fans will pack the Barclays Center in New York for the clash as Helenius bids to upset the former WBC heavyweight champion as a 6/1 underdog.
Ahead of the FOX Sports PPV, Helenius discussed the challenge of facing the five-year reigning WBC belt holder.
Wilder vs Helenius main event
“I’m really happy to have this opportunity. I’ve been training in this sport for 25 years,” stated Helenius.
“I’ve had my ups and downs. Now everything is connecting, and I feel great.”
On what kind of Wilder he can expect, Helenius added: “I don’t like to think that he’s lost anything since the three fights with Tyson Fury.
“He’s had a year since that last fight. Of course, people can change after a long time. But I’m prepared to go 12 rounds with the best Deontay Wilder.”
Helenius sparred with Wilder as “The Bronze Bomber” prepared for his third fight with the “Gyspy King.” At the same time, Helenius was preparing to beat Kownacki in their rematch.
Winning both bouts against Kownacki, who it was hoped would battle Wilder in a Brooklyn tear-up, gave the big Finn his opportunity.
“I can’t give away too much, but we’ve seen what people do to disrupt Wilder. We have a plan. Now we need to execute.
“When I was sparring with Deontay, we were both preparing for our own fights, so I wasn’t really training for a guy like him.
Hard puncher
“Of course, I learned some tricks, but I’m not relying on that alone. It can only be an advantage, though.
“He is powerful, yes. But I don’t believe that I’m without power. The hardest punchers I’ve faced are Lamon Brewster and Samuel Peter.
“I expect Wilder to be similar. The difference with Wilder is that he’s much faster.”
On losing to a man Wilder destroyed in Gerald Washington, Helenius concluded: “I didn’t feel my best against Gerald Washington.
“I shouldn’t have gone through with the fight. Because I knew that I wasn’t myself, it wasn’t hard for me to bounce back from that loss.”
Wilder vs Helenis
Former WBC Heavyweight World Champion and boxing superstar Deontay “The Bronze Bomber” Wilder prepares to take on top-rated Robert “The Nordic Nightmare” Helenius.
The fight is a WBC Heavyweight Title Eliminator on Saturday, October 15, topping a FOX Sports PBC Pay-Per-View from Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
The pay-per-view telecast begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.
Fans will see Wilder, who has 41 KOs from 42 wins, look to make his first step toward becoming a two-time heavyweight champion with an emphatic victory over the hard-hitting Helenius.
Wilder’s first title reign saw him rack up an astounding ten consecutive successful defenses. He holds a staggering 91.1% knockout rate, combining to make him one of the biggest stars in the sport today.
Anthony Dirrell and Carlos Negron also feature on the undercard in New York City.
Tickets for the event, which BombZquad Promotions and TGB Promotions promote, are on sale now and can be purchased through seatgeek.com and barclayscenter.com. Tickets are also available in person at the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center.
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