Anthony Joshua knocked out Dillian Whyte’s late replacement Robert Helenius with a brutal finish at London’s O2 Arena.
Joshua, 33, was due to fight British heavyweight rival Whyte in a long-awaited rematch but ‘The Body Snatcher’ failed a drugs test seven days before the bout.
Finland’s Helenius stepped in at short notice but was no match for Joshua, who controlled the early rounds without dazzling before stopping his opponent in the seventh with a devastating right-hander to the jaw.
Joshua was stunned by a late replacement in 2019 as Andy Ruiz took advantage of a chance of a lifetime to become world heavyweight champion, but Helenius was unable to produce a similar upset at the O2.
An emotional Joshua left the ring as the referee called the fight off and began celebrating with some nearby fans, eventually sharing a beer with UFC legend Conor McGregor before returning to embrace Helenius.
Joshua told DAZN: ‘People need to leave me alone, this is my time in the ring. Let me keep doing what I want to do.
‘Helenius, I told him to come again. I think he can cause people a lot of problems. Big thanks to him for coming in and saving the card.
‘I don’t want to say too much, but I want to see you [the fans] again two more times this year.
‘It’s a fickle sport, you’ve got to be real about this industry and not get caught up. I’ve done my job tonight.’
Asked if he wanted Deontay Wilder next, Joshua replied: ‘My back’s gone, is there a doctor in here? I want to carry this heavyweight division to the top!’
Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn added to BBC Radio 5 Live: ‘The guy [Helenius] is six foot eight, he can punch a bit, AJ doesn’t want to take any chances.
‘This is the AJ you’re going to see now, no chances. There’s a lot on the line. The late replacement was difficult, but I’m just happy he’s delivered the knockout of the year.’
On the chances of Joshua fighting American heavyweight Wilder next, Hearn said: ‘We hope it’s imminent. That’s why he wanted the Dillian Whyte fight, it’s hard for him to get up to fights like this.
‘If he hits Wilder on the chin then it’s over. This is about Anthony Joshua now, it’s not about pleasing others. He’s given everything to British boxing.’
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