By Ken Hissner: At the O2 Arena, Greenwich, London, UK, Saturday over DAZN Eddie Hearn (Matchroom Boxing) presented in the Main Event former two-time WBA, WBO, and IBF world champion and 2012 Olympic Gold Medalist ‘AJ’ Anthony Joshua who knocked out late sub former WBA Gold champion Robert “The Nordic Nightmare” Helenius in the seventh round.
In the Main Event former two-time WBA, WBO, and IBF Heavyweight champ ‘AJ’ Anthony Joshua, 26-3 (23), #250, of Watford, Hertfordshire, UK, knocked out late sub former WBA Gold champ Robert “The Nordic Nightmare” Helenius, 32-5 (21), #249 ½, of Stockholm, SW and Mariehamn, FIN, at 1:20 of the seventh round of a scheduled 12 rounds.
In the first two rounds, taking the fight on a one-week notice, the 39-year-old Helenius used a jab, causing some small swelling around the left eye of Joshua. In the third round, the fans started asking for some action, and Joshua gave it to them.
Halfway through the fourth round, Joshua drew blood from the nose of Helenius with a hard right. In the fifth round, a Joshua left hook on the chin knocked Helenius off balance.
In the sixth round, it was Joshua who also was bleeding from the nose from Helenius’s jabs.
In the seventh round halfway point, a thunderous right from Joshua on the chin and down went Helenius without a count from Referee Victor Loughlin.
In the co-feature Filip “El Animal” Hrgovic, 16-0 (13), #243, of Zagreb, CRO, stopped southpaw Demsey “The Tower” McKean, 22-1 (14), #245 ½, of Ipswich, AUST, Brentwood, Essex, UK, at 1:01 of the 12th and final round.
In the early half of the fight, Hrgovic had an edge. From the sixth through the seventh, it was McKean out working Hrgovic.
In the eighth round, McKean kept coming forward, and Hrgovic hardly landed anything but a couple of behind-the-head punches in a clinch and was never warned by the referee. In the final minute of the ninth round, a right from Hrgovic on the chin had McKean hurt and holding the remainder of the round.
In the tenth round, McKean seemed to have recovered, but both were near exhaustion doing more wrestling than boxing in a close round to score. In the eleventh round’s first minute, McKean landed a left to the body, hurting Hrgovic briefly. For the rest of the round, it was McKean outworking Hrgovic, who finally got a warning from Referee Marcus McDonnell for fouling.
In the twelfth and final round, Hrgovic landed a right having McKean out on his feet, walking away from the referee, who ended the fight to the displeasure of McKean.
Former British, Commonwealth, and European Heavyweight champ Derek ‘War’ Chisora, 34-13 (23), #252, of Finchley, London, UK, defeated Gerald “El Gallo” Negro Washington, 20-6-1 (13), #238, of Vallejo, CA, over ten sloppy rounds.
In the first round, it was all Chisora, with referee Every warning Washington for holding halfway through the round. In the second round, Washington did enough to outwork Chisora.
In the third, Chisora came back well enough in more holding than fighting from both when a clash of heads caused a small cut on the right eyebrow of Chisora. From the fourth round through the sixth round, Chisora had an edge in a sloppy fight.
In the seventh round and eighth, it went back and forth with little fighting and more holding, as Chisora was the aggressor for the most part.
In the ninth round, 39-year-old Chisora and 41-year-old Washington are showing their ages. In the tenth and final round, Chisora seemed to be ahead overall on points. Referee Lee Every had his hands full separating them throughout.
Scores were 98-93, 97-94 and 96-94, and 97-93 KH.
Heavyweight Johnny ‘The Romford Bull’ Fisher, 10-0 (9), #242 ¾, of Romford, London, UK, stopped Henry ‘Dirty Harry’ Armstrong, 5-2-1 (0), #250 ¾, of Torquay, Devon, UK, in 7 rounds of a scheduled ten rounds, for the vacant BBBofC Southern Area title.
In the first round, Fisher dropped Armstrong for an 8-count from referee Lee Every. In the seventh round, Fisher again dropped Armstrong for a count from referee Lee Every when Armstrong’s corner stopped the fight.
Super Light Campbell ‘Hurricane” Hatton, 13-0 (5), #141 ¾, of Hyde, Lancashire, UK, defeated Tom Answell, 10-5 (2), #142, of Hitchin, Hertfordshire, UK, over eight rounds.
For the most part, the son of former world champion Ricky Hatton had an edge in all but a couple of the rounds.
The score was 78-74 from Referee Sean McAvoy.
