Deontay Wilder stuns Robert Helenius with first-round knockout

Deontay Wilder didn’t want very lengthy to snap his shedding streak.

In the primary spherical of his bout in opposition to Robert Helenius on Saturday evening, Helenius thought he was on the assault by shifting Wilder into the nook. But it’s nearly precisely the place Wilder wished to be. He hit Helenius with an enormous proper hand to the face and despatched him right down to the mat. Helenius seemed surprised as he was on the bottom.

Deontay Wilder knocks out Swedish-Finnish boxer Robert Helenius within the 1st spherical of their 12-round WBC World Heavyweight Title Eliminator struggle at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, on October 15, 2022. 
(ANGELA WEISS/AFP through Getty Images)

“I set him up,” Wilder mentioned. “I allowed him to succeed in, and when he reached, I attacked. It was an awesome struggle.”

FLOYD MAYWEATHER JR KNOCKS OUT MIKURU ASAKURA IN EXHIBITION BOUT

The win marks Wilder’s first since defeating Luis Ortiz through knockout in November 2019. He had two consecutive bouts in opposition to Tyson Fury and misplaced. Fury gained through TKO in February 2020 and through knockout in October 2021.

US boxer Deontay Wilder (R) fights Swedish-Finnish boxer Robert Helenius throughout their 12-round WBC World Heavyweight Title Eliminator struggle at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, on October 15, 2022.
(ANGELA WEISS/AFP through Getty Images)

Wilder may look to get a heavyweight title shot in opposition to Oleksandr Usyk, who owns three title belts. Anthony Joshua and Andy Ruiz Jr. could possibly be subsequent in line for a bout in opposition to Wilder.

“I’ve been listening to rumors about Usyk, however he’s not right here, is he?” Wilder mentioned. “When guys see these knockouts, they flip the nook away from me.”

Before a cut up choice draw in opposition to Fury in 2018 and the 2 most up-to-date knockouts, Wilder was undefeated in opposition to each different opponent. He has by no means confronted Joshua or Ruiz.

Robert Helenius lays on the bottom within the 1st spherical of their 12-round WBC World Heavyweight Title Eliminator struggle at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, on October 15, 2022.
(ANGELA WEISS/AFP through Getty Images)

Helenius’ loss snapped his three-bout successful streak. He had overwhelmed Adam Kownacki twice and Mateus Roberto Osorio earlier than the Wilder loss.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.