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Robert Helenius has stepped in at the last minute to ensure Anthony Joshua will fight at London’s O2 Arena on Saturday. Helenius answered an SOS call from Matchroom after Joshua’s original opponent Dillian Whyte failed a doping test. While Whyte has vowed to clear his name and prove his innocence, all eyes are now on Helenius and here, the PA news agency takes a look at the backstory of the 39-year-old, who was once tipped to be the next big contender in the sport. Who is Robert Helenius? Born in Stockholm in 1984, the heavyweight holds dual-nationality with Sweden and Finland and forged an impressive amateur career, winning a silver medal at the 2006 European Championships. He turned professional two years later and quickly set about building on his growing reputation with Welsh boxer Scott Gammer stopped before former world heavyweight champions Lamon Brewster, Samuel Peter and Siarhei Liakhovich were defeated. How does he fare versus Britons? Helenius’s wins over Brewster, Peter and Liakhovich set up an eagerly-anticipated bout with Derek Chisora for the vacant European Championship title at the end of 2011 in Finland. A dominant display from Chisora followed with more punches thrown, but in highly-contentious fashion, it was Helenius who won by a split decision verdict. It was later revealed Helenius suffered a minor fracture to his right arm in the first round but it failed to keep critics at bay with ex-boxing trainer Freddie Roach at the time laughing off claims he could take on Wladimir or Vitali Klitschko. No stranger to a last-minute call? While Helenius’s victory over Chisora extended his unbeaten record to 17 fights, he spent 11 months out of the ring while he recovered from an arm injury and soon after endured two years of inactivity due to a contract dispute with his former promoters. A first loss to Johann Duhaupas further stalled his development before he accepted a fight with Whyte at 12-days notice in 2017. Helenius was able to go the distance with the British boxer on the undercard of Joshua’s fight with Carlos Takam in Cardiff, but lost on points. Can he pull off a huge shock? Stockholm-born Helenius was able to rebuild his career after defeat to Whyte with two victories over Yury Bykhautsou before Gerald Washington inflicted a third loss. He fought on the undercard of Deontay Wilder’s second bout with Tyson Fury at the T-Mobile Arena in 2021 and stepped in the ring himself with Wilder last October. It was Wilder’s comeback bout and did not last three minutes with the American handed a vicious first-round knock-out. Helenius bounced back with victory over Mika Mielonen in a Finland Castle last weekend but there appears a slim chance he can upset Joshua. Although, remember Andy Ruiz Jr? Read More Joshua vs Helenius live stream: How to watch fight online and on TV this weekend Anthony Joshua to face Robert Helenius after Dillian Whyte fight cancelled Dillian Whyte vows to prove his innocence after doping test ‘adverse finding’

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Anthony Joshua’s hopes of fighting Deontay Wilder in the next six months remain alive after Robert Helenius agreed to replace Dillian Whyte for Saturday’s bout at London’s O2 Arena. Matchroom confirmed on Tuesday morning that Helenius would step in for Whyte, who saw his hopes of avenging defeat to Joshua in 2015 ended last weekend after “adverse analytical findings” were detected in his doping test by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA). Whyte has vowed to clear his name but knowledge of his failed test left Matchroom in a race against time to find a new opponent for Joshua, but 72 hours later and Helenius answered the SOS call, despite being in action in Finland last Saturday. Joshua was eager to still fight this weekend and Matchroom Sport chairman Eddie Hearn had revealed if no replacement could be arranged, it would have put the potential clash with Wilder in jeopardy. Talks continue to take place between the camps of Joshua and Wilder over a fight at the end of this year or in early 2024, but the British heavyweight must first overcome Helenius. Hearn told talkSPORT: “We all wanted to see the Dillian Whyte fight but at the same time Anthony Joshua has trained for 12 weeks, he wants to fight Deontay Wilder next and wants to fight on Saturday. “The other option honestly was to fight in October or November. “And we want to fight Deontay Wilder. We know December is unlikely but we’re still being told and we were told as recently as two, three days ago or whenever it was, that you will be fighting (in December). “If he doesn’t take this fight on Saturday, then he won’t fight Wilder in December or January because he’d end up fighting in October or November.” Former two-time world heavyweight champion Joshua hinted at his long-term goal being Wilder when he reflected on Helenius replacing Whyte. “This wasn’t in the script. I respect Helenius and, may I say, I respect any male or female who steps into the ring,” Joshua added. “I am laser-focused on the win. I can make steps forward to bigger and better things but the road map has a checkpoint – Saturday night. May the best man win.” Helenius said: “I am excited about fighting Anthony Joshua on 12 August. I am a true Viking that is willing to face any challenge at a moment’s notice. This is not an opportunity I was going to let slip away. I plan to make the most of it.” Stockholm-born Helenius (32-4, 21 KOs) is no stranger to the British boxing scene after he beat Derek Chisora in a contentious split decision to win the vacant European Championship title in 2011. The heavyweight with an orthodox style lost to Whyte on points six years later in Cardiff but only after he took the bout at two weeks’ notice. Whyte’s failed test saw Matchroom immediately cancel the planned domestic clash and opened the door for Helenius to secure another handsome payday in Britain. Hearn did express his shock at Whyte’s doping test result with the British boxer determined to prove his innocence, which was the case in 2019 after UK Anti-Doping concluded the levels in his sample were “very low” and he was ultimately not to blame, therefore clearing him of a doping violation. On Whyte, Hearn admitted: “I don’t represent Dillian so I can’t talk on his behalf. What I can say is I am surprised, I am in shock. “He’s had this Vada test and employed it meticulously over his career. I had an email from his team as early as this morning to say obviously there is a strict confidentiality on his behalf, not on my behalf and he has got a big fight on his hands. “We will let him go through that process and see how it ensues, but I was in big shock on Saturday when we found out about it. I was definitely surprised and he has a tough road ahead.” With Whyte set for a battle out of the ring, Helenius now looks ahead to the 37th fight of his career. The veteran has only fought three times since the coronavirus pandemic started in 2020, but an added element of intrigue to this clash is the fact Helenius was knocked out in the first round by Wilder last October. All eyes will now be on how Joshua performs against Helenius, 39, who enters this bout after his 32nd victory with Mika Mielonen stopped in the third round of their contest last Saturday. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk ready to ‘attack the season’ despite concerns Joe Roberts could make Wales debut in next World Cup warm-up clash with England Hull KR captain Shaun Kenny-Dowall hoping to top off career with Wembley win

Anthony Joshua will face a different kind of test this weekend, fighting Robert Helenius on short notice in London. Joshua, 33, was set to take on Dillian Whyte this week, in a rematch eight years in the making, but Whyte returned an adverse finding in a drug test on Saturday. As a result, he lost his chance to avenge his knockout loss to Joshua, who will now fight Helenius at the O2 Arena. Helenius, 39, fought just last week, stopping Mika Mielonen in Round 3. With that win, the Finn bounced back from a knockout loss to Deontay Wilder. Meanwhile, Briton Joshua last fought in April, beating Jermaine Franklin on points after suffering two straight losses to Oleksandr Usyk. Here’s all you need to know. We may earn commission from some of the links in this article, but we never allow this to influence our content. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. When is it? Joshua vs Helenius will take place on Saturday 12 August at the O2 Arena in London. The main card is due to begin at 7pm BST (11am PT, 1pm CT, 2pm ET). Ring walks for the main event are then expected at around 10pm BST (2pm PT, 4pm CT, 5pm ET). How can I watch it? The event will stream live on Dazn. A subscription to the streaming platform is available to purchase here, with monthly plans starting at £9.99. Odds Joshua – 1/18 Helenius – 25/1 Draw – 17/2 Full odds via Betfair. Full card (subject to change) Anthony Joshua vs Robert Helenius (heavyweight) Filip Hrgovic vs Demsey McKean (heavyweight) Johnny Fisher vs Harry Armstrong (heavyweight) Derek Chisora vs Gerald Washington (heavyweight) Campbell Hatton vs Tom Ansell (super-lightweight) George Liddard vs Bas Oosterweghel (middleweight) Brandon Scott vs Louis Norman (featherweight) Maisey Rose Courtney vs Gemma Ruegg (super-flyweight) Click here to subscribe to The Independent’s Sport YouTube channel for all the latest sports videos. Read More Anthony Joshua to face Robert Helenius after Dillian Whyte fight cancelled Robert Helenius: Record of Finnish star stepping up to face Anthony Joshua Dillian Whyte vows to prove his innocence after doping test ‘adverse finding’ Anthony Joshua’s hopes of Deontay Wilder fight in next six months still alive What time does Joshua vs Helenius start this weekend? How to watch Joshua vs Helenius online and on TV this weekend

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New Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk understands why some sections of the fanbase are heading into the season apprehensive about what it may bring but he does not share their concerns. There is growing unease over the club’s failure to recruit a defensive midfielder following the sale of Fabinho to Al-Ittihad and manager Jurgen Klopp has admitted he will have to find a quick fix from within the squad for this weekend’s opener at Chelsea. After the departures of Jordan Henderson, also to Saudi Arabia, James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain there is little left of the core midfield which helped win the Champions League and Premier League in recent years. It means forward Cody Gakpo could be asked to drop back while £35million summer signing Alexis Mac Allister is likely to be deployed in the deep-lying role – which does not play to the Argentinian World Cup winner’s strengths – with fellow new arrival Dominik Szobozslai expected to make his Premier League debut. The club’s stuttering pursuit of Southampton’s Romeo Lavia, who could fill the Fabinho role despite being only 19 and having made just 29 appearances in one top-flight season, has led to criticism from the likes of former Reds defender Jamie Carragher. But as Van Dijk embarks on his maiden campaign as captain, having inherited the armband from Henderson, he remains confident they can find the improvements necessary to get back into the top four and challenge Manchester City and Arsenal. “I can definitely understand it (fans’ negativity) in some ways but I’m not a very negative person, so obviously it’s not in my mind to think like that,” he said. “But obviously when a lot of players are leaving, when your captain is leaving, your vice-captain is leaving, and at the moment there are only two incomings… “And the way we have been playing, in possession really good but defensively when you concede goals it’s not as good I can understand some people having doubts. I can understand some people having doubts... but I’m not a very negative person so obviously it’s not in my mind to think like that Virgil van Dijk “Let’s see if more players are coming in and then we have to be ready again for a long season. It will be very tough if we look at the teams around us, but we want to be up there again, we want to be challenging again.” The loss of the majority of their midfield has not only left Liverpool short on numbers but also on experience, with 1,318 appearances in the middle of the park disappearing over the summer. While Mac Allister, 24, has made 98 Premier League appearances for Brighton, the 22-year-old Szobozslai has just 62 Bundesliga games to his name in two seasons with RB Leipzig, although his consistently high numbers were one of the reasons Liverpool made their move. Other realistic midfield options currently available are Thiago Alcantara and Stefan Bajcetic, who have not featured in pre-season as they continue to recover from injuries sustained last season. There is the 24-year-old Gakpo, with 21 league appearances in four months after joining in January, and academy graduate Curtis Jones, aged 22 with 63 league outings. Van Dijk sees the loss of senior players as an opportunity for others to take up the mantle. “We have to be confident, we should be confident and we should still be learning each and every day,” he added. “There have been characters leaving, players who have played a big part in the success, but others have to step up. “That’s a nice challenge in my opinion. We should be excited. I’m very excited, so let’s give it a go.” Van Dijk himself is typically relaxed about his promotion to captain but knows he is following on from the ultra-successful Henderson, who lifted the Champions League, Premier League, FA Cup, League Cup and Club World Cup. “Obviously we won everything together, and I was very sad to see him leave to be honest but that’s football, that’s life, and he has the right to do that in this case,” said the Dutchman. “He made that decision but if I can be as successful as he was as a captain then I would sign (up) for that immediately. “It’s step by step. I’m looking for consistency from our side, winning games, winning them the hard way at times, finding a way and creating a positive atmosphere where we all do it together. “That’s how I want to attack the season and give everyone the assurance that we give everything for one another. Hopefully we will be successful.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Joe Roberts could make Wales debut in next World Cup warm-up clash with England Hull KR captain Shaun Kenny-Dowall hoping to top off career with Wembley win Key questions answered as Robert Helenius steps in to take on Anthony Joshua

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Anthony Joshua will fight Robert Helenius this weekend, as the Finn steps in for Dillian Whyte. Joshua was due to fight Whyte in a rematch of their 2015 clash, which “AJ” won via knockout, but Whyte returned an adverse drug-test finding last week, causing Saturday’s main event to be cancelled. Helenius, 39, has been drafted in to fight Joshua, 33, on short notice, as the pair square off at London’s O2 Arena. Briton Joshua last fought in April, beating Jermaine Franklin on points to bounce back from two straight losses to Oleksandr Usyk. Meanwhile, Helenius fought just last week, winning in the third round to respond positively to a knockout loss to Deontay Wilder last year. Here’s all you need to know. We may earn commission from some of the links in this article, but we never allow this to influence our content. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. When is it? Joshua vs Helenius will take place on Saturday 12 August at the O2 Arena in London. The main card is due to begin at 7pm BST (11am PT, 1pm CT, 2pm ET). Ring walks for the main event are then expected at around 10pm BST (2pm PT, 4pm CT, 5pm ET). How can I watch it? The event will stream live on Dazn. A subscription to the streaming platform is available to purchase here, with monthly plans starting at £9.99. Odds Joshua – 1/18 Helenius – 25/1 Draw – 17/2 Full odds via Betfair. Full card (subject to change) Anthony Joshua vs Robert Helenius (heavyweight) Filip Hrgovic vs Demsey McKean (heavyweight) Johnny Fisher vs Harry Armstrong (heavyweight) Derek Chisora vs Gerald Washington (heavyweight) Campbell Hatton vs Tom Ansell (super-lightweight) George Liddard vs Bas Oosterweghel (middleweight) Brandon Scott vs Louis Norman (featherweight) Maisey Rose Courtney vs Gemma Ruegg (super-flyweight) Click here to subscribe to The Independent’s Sport YouTube channel for all the latest sports videos. Read More Anthony Joshua to face Robert Helenius after Dillian Whyte fight cancelled Robert Helenius: Record of Finnish star stepping up to face Anthony Joshua Dillian Whyte vows to prove his innocence after doping test ‘adverse finding’ Key questions answered as Robert Helenius steps in to take on Anthony Joshua Robert Helenius: Record of Finnish boxer stepping up to face Anthony Joshua Anthony Joshua news LIVE: Next fight revealed after Dillian Whyte fails doping test