Former WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder will return to action after a year off later night (Sat., Oct. 15, 2022) to face Robert Helenius live on FOX Sports Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) pay-per-view (PPV) inside Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. In further action, former super middleweight champion, Caleb Plant, will face Anthony Dirrell in a 168-pound matchup.
What’s Hot:
After suffering back-to-back losses to Tyson Fury 20 months apart, Wilder was leaning toward retiring from the fight game. But after time to reflect, “The Bronze Bomber” decided going out with two straight stoppage defeats was not how he wanted his legacy to end. Now, he returns from a year layoff to face a heavyweight title holder in Robert Helenius who is out to score one of the biggest wins of his career.
Helenius is coming off back-to-back knockout wins over the previously-undefeated prospect, Adam Kownacki. With a record of 31-3, Helenius has 20 wins by way of knockout so the man hits like a Mack Truck and does have a big win over Derek Chisora. But other than that, unless you’re a big European boxing fan you may not recognize the competition he’s defeated. All of that can change if he can score a huge upset over Wilder.
“The Bronze Bomber” is a 8-1 favorite in this fight, as he should be despite his previous losses to “Gypsy King.” The big factor here is just how dedicated is Wilder to the fight game? He is obviously in great shape and has the knockout power to get it done against anyone, but if he has one foot out the door, will he really be laser-focused to avoid getting caught with a haymaker? That’s the allure of this fight, especially if you’re a gambler. It may be worth it to lay down a few dollars on Helenius because if Wilder isn’t all in, a knockout win isn’t out of reach.
All of that said, Wilder has a lot on the line here. He wants to show that he isn’t washed up and that two consecutive losses to Fury isn’t going to be what defines him. After all, losing to Fury isn’t anything to be ashamed of, but Wilder still wants to prove he’s a legit player in the game. Furthermore, a win could not only revive his career but it can set him up for bigger fights down the road. For Helenius, finishing “The Bronze Bomber” really gives him the spotlight and will give him some of what Wilder’s has worked for and earned.
In the co-main event Caleb Plant will return almost a year removed from his devastating TKO loss to pound-for-pound great, Canelo Alvarez, in Nov. 2021 (see it here). That was Plant’s first and only loss after beginning his career with a 21-0 record so don’t get it twisted, Plant is a star. The IBF super middleweight title holder will face off against Anthony Dirrell, who started off his boxing career 27-0-1 before losing a majority decision to Badou Jack. After six straight wins, he then suffered a loss at the hands of undefeated (26-0) stud David Benavidez. Now, “The Dog,” who turned 37 just yesterday (Oct. 14, 2022), is searching for the biggest win of his career. For Plant, a win over Dirrell may not be the biggest one he’s ever had, but it gets him back on track and builds his confidence back up.
What’s Not:
This point can actually be hot or not, depending on how you want to see it. If you’re a rabid boxing fan there are three huge events going down tonight. Aside from Wilder vs Helenius, a big rematch between lightweight champion, Devin Haney, and former title holder, George Kambosos Jr, will take place on the same night in Australia. Also, Claressa Shields and Savannah Marshall will settle their beef when they collide in a middleweight title fight inside the O2 Arena on London, England. While that’s a great day of boxing action, it only lands on the what’s not list because unless you have three TVs or multiple devices to stream them all, you have a big decision to make. And let’s not forget Alexa Grasso will face off against Viviane Araujo in Las Vegas, Nevada, as well.
How The ‘Prelims’ Look:
The undercard will feature two fights to curb your appetite before the main course including Carlos Negron taking on Frank Sanchez. Negron, a hard-hitting Cuban heavyweight, will attempt to pick up his fourth straight win. The former WBC Continental Americas heavyweight king hasn’t held gold in five years, so he’s hungry for a title again. As for Sanchez, he is undefeated at 20-0-1 and is the current WBC Continental Americas and WBO-NABO heavyweight champion. He has 13 knockouts wins on his record and is slowly climbing the ranks as a heavyweight to watch.
In further action, Emmanuel Rodriguez will battle Gary Antonio Russell in a 116-pound battle. After starting his career with 19 straight victories, Rodriguez — who is of Puerto Rican descent — suffered back-to-back losses to boxing “Monster,” Naoya Inoue, and then Reymart Gaballo. He then faced Russell in Aug. 2021 but that fight lasted only 16 seconds. You read that correctly. The fight was stopped after an accidental headbutt opened up a cut on Rodriguez’s nose, forcing the referee to put an end to the fight. Rodriguez then knocked out Roberto Sanchez Cantu in the very first round seven months later. Russell, meanwhile, is undefeated at 19-0-1 with 12 knockouts to his name. After his first fight against Rodriguez, the bantamweight bomber went on to defeat Alexander Santiago via majority decision.
Who Needs A Win Badly:
If Wilder loses his third straight fight it really could be what pushes him out the door. He will turn 37 years old next year, and while that may not necessarily mean he’s too old to be mixing it up inside the ring, climbing his way back up from three straight losses is that much tougher when the years start creeping up.
Interest Level 7 of 10:
It’s a pretty good night of boxing and it’s rare that you get a nice co-main event to compliment the headlining bout, so that’s a nice treat. Wilder has a ton to prove and also a lot to lose here. For Helenius, this could be the life-changing win he needs to start securing bigger fights and the purses that come with it. Will “The Bronze Bomber” rise like the phoenix? Or will he slowly fade away and end his career with three straight defeats? Plus, we will see if another former champion in Plant can get back to the winning ways he enjoyed before running into one of the greatest boxers ever. All those answers and more will be revealed later tonight!
Full Wilder vs Helenius Fight Card:
200+ lbs.: Deontay Wilder vs. Robert Helenius
168 lbs.: Caleb Plant vs. Anthony Dirrell
200+ lbs.: Frank Sanchez vs. Carlos Negron
118 lbs.: Gary Antonio Russel vs. Emmanuel Rodriguez
MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the event HERE, starting with the PPV undercard at 9 p.m. ET, followed by the main event broadcast around 11:30 p.m. ET (watch it on FITE.TV HERE).