Anthony Joshua news LIVE: AJ and Robert Helenius weigh in ahead of heavyweight fight
Joshua will fight Helenius, who steps in on short notice, after Whyte’s ‘adverse finding’ in a drug test
Anthony Joshua will fight Robert Helenius on Saturday, after original opponent Dillian Whyte returned an ‘adverse finding’ in a drug test last week.
Joshua vs Whyte 2 would have been a rematch eight years in the making, with “AJ” having knocked out his fellow Briton in 2015 to avenge an amateur defeat by Whyte. However, Saturday’s rematch at the O2 Arena in London fell through when Whyte, 35, failed a doping test last week. Whyte has maintained his innocence, while it was initially unclear whether Joshua, 33, would still compete on Saturday. But his promoter Eddie Hearn then teased an announcement on Tuesday (8 August), with fans learning that Helenius will replace Whyte.
Helenius, 39, is a Finnish heavyweight who appeared to retire in October after being knocked out by Deontay Wilder in the first round. However, he returned just last weekend with a TKO win over Mika Mielonen. Meanwhile, Joshua – a former two-time world heavyweight champion – last boxed in April, beating Jermaine Franklin on points at the O2 to bounce back from two straight losses to Oleksandr Usyk. Follow live updates below.
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Anthony Joshua’s new opponent revealed LIVE
Anthony Joshua and Dillian Whyte’s highly-anticipated second fight was cancelled on Saturday, after Whyte returned “adverse analytical findings” during a random anti-doping test, according to promoter Eddie Hearn and Matchroom.
Whyte has categorically denied that he took the reported substance and has asked for time to prove his innocence.
The Voluntary Anti-Doping Association said it had informed the Association of Boxing Commissions and the British Boxing Board of Control that a “random anti-doping protocol” undertaken by Whyte had returned the result, leading to the bout being called off and an investigation being launched.
Matchroom said: “In light of this news, the fight will be cancelled, and a full investigation will be conducted. Further information on the event will follow.”
The bout was due to take place at the O2 Arena in London.
Anthony Joshua vs Dillian Whyte fight cancelled after anti-doping test
Eddie Hearn said Whyte had returned ‘adverse analytical findings’ during a random anti-doping test
Anthony Joshua’s new opponent revealed LIVE
Anthony Joshua is expected to fight a new opponent on Saturday, after opponent Dillian Whyte returned an ‘adverse finding’ in a drug test last week.
Joshua vs Whyte 2 would have been a rematch eight years in the making, with “AJ” having knocked out his fellow Briton in 2015 to avenge an amateur defeat by Whyte. However, Saturday’s rematch at the O2 Arena in London fell through when Whyte, 35, failed a doping test last week.
Whyte has maintained his innocence, while it was initially unclear whether Joshua, 33, would still compete on Saturday. But now his promoter Eddie Hearn has teased an announcement this morning (8 August), with fans expecting to hear that AJ will be fighting a fresh opponent.
The former two-time world heavyweight champion last boxed in April, beating Jermaine Franklin on points at the O2 to bounce back from two straight losses to Oleksandr Usyk. The unbeaten Ukrainian beat Joshua on points in 2021 to take the unified heavyweight titles, before retaining them against the Briton with another decision win in August 2022.
Follow live updates right here as Joshua’s new opponent is named.
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