Every word said by Anthony Joshua and Robert Helenius during intense staredown

11 August 2023 , 19:29

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Every word said by Anthony Joshua and Robert Helenius during intense staredown

Things got heated between Anthony Joshua and Robert Helenius during their final face-off as the pair stared each other out.

Former two-time heavyweight champion Joshua takes on Helenius on Saturday night at The O2 arena after his original Dillian Whyte was forced out due to a positive drug test. Whyte returned an “adverse analytical finding" in a pre-fight VADA [Voluntary Anti-Doping Agency] test and Helenius stepped up on a week's notice to replace the Brit.

'AJ' and Helenius were all smiles at Wednesday's press conference but things changed during their staredown on Friday afternoon as Joshua questioned whether his rival had an issue with him. They locked eyes for just over two minutes and didn't shake hands before leaving the stage.

Who wins on Saturday - Anthony Joshua vs Robert Helenius? Let us know your prediction in the comments section below

Joshua started things off by saying: "You good, good yeah?" Helenius waited a moment before replying "Yeah" as Joshua then said: "Yeah, looking at me like you’ve got a problem or something. You got a problem with me?" Helenius continued to lock eyes with the Brit before saying: "No one has got a problem.

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"Seriously, is everything alright though? You know all this s*** here don’t matter like… either way we’re going to fight now or we’re going to fight tomorrow. Either way we’re going to fight," Joshua added. "All this acting up here don’t really mean s*** to me unless you’re gonna fight me here now. You know what I’m trying to say? So stay calm and stay cool."

Helenius said back: "I am cool" before the exchange finished when Joshua said "Good" and the pair went their separate ways. 'The Nordic Nightmare' was quizzed about his face-off with Joshua after the weigh-in concluded but he refused to reveal what was said between them, saying: "Nothing that important. I am here to upset."

Joshua insisted that a last-minute opponent change has not thrown him off his game as he said: "Stay professional and keep my professional head, these things happen in life so no complaining. These are the best days of my life, a little blip in my day didn't change the whole trajectory of how my training camp went."

Harry Davies