Robert Helenius cares little about preconceptions.
The atmosphere in the Barclays Center lobby was electrifying when Caleb Plant and Anthony Dirrell mouthed to each other.
The two will be seen facing each other in the ring early Sunday morning Finnish time. They give the arena audience a final entertainment before the biggest stars of the night.
When Robert Helenius and Deontay Wilder got out loud, the atmosphere changed instantly. Respect for the opponent is great. After all, they have sparred together before.
Helenius first calmly waited for Wilder on stage. When the contestants met, they slapped hands and gave another warm hug.
A year ago, a brutal knockout loss For Tyson Fury aggrieved Wilder says he is “back in business”. He behaves like a gentleman – doesn’t mouth off to his opponent, looks the reporter asking the question in the eye and is happy to give one more answer, even though his team is happy to tear the boxing superstar to the side already when the interview time ends.
“Oh, am I the underdog?”
American time on Friday afternoon, there was more international media surrounding Helenius than ever before. Brooklyn’s super night has been hyped by the boxing business machine for so long that it made the Finn laugh a little.
– I don’t really know what to say anymore. There are already so many interviews behind this, Helenius only answered one question and even slightly interrupted the host’s question.
The audience, which consisted of the media, could laugh when the topic became Helenius’ underdog status. Of course, everyone knows it, but he doesn’t seem to be interested in it himself.
– Oh, am I? Helenius asked when told he was the underdog.
Wilder is a big early favorite in light of the betting odds.
North American journalists were already interested in what Wilder had to say Oleksandr Usykin encounter. The Ukrainian world champion is reportedly arriving at the Barclays Center on Saturday night.
Before Usyk, however, Wilder must take care of Helenius. And no one asked the Åland boxing hero what he would think about facing Usyk.
Maybe it says that Helenius is seen in New York only as Wilder’s mouthpiece.
– I guess it’s better for us, so you can show them, Helenius grinned to Iltalehti.
The media surrounded Robert Helenius in the Barclays Center lobby. Anssi Karjalainen