Heavyweight UK boxing is back on the boxing schedule this weekend with an event coming to the O2 Arena in London. Anthony Joshua was originally set to fight Dillian Whyte, but Whyte popped for something on the drug test yet again, so Robert Helenius is stepping up on short notice.
Coming in less than a week’s notice, the Joshua vs Helenius betting analysis and prediction becomes a little more interesting. Joshua was preparing for a different and smaller fighter, but now he’s going up against a big man that can match his physicality. Let’s dive deeper into this heavyweight matchup and see how this fight could potentially play out on Saturday night in London.
Top sportsbooks to bet on Boxing
100% Crypto Bonus
Bonus Code “CRYPTO100”
1st Time Deposit
*with Cryptocurrencies
200% Crypto Bonus
Bonus Code “JOIN200”
* New customers only. Minimum Deposit of $100
50% up to $250
Bonus Code “NEWELCOME”
* Apply to the first deposit
Boxing: Joshua vs. Helenius Betting Trends
- Anthony Joshua is 3-2 in his last five appearances in the ring.
- Robert Helenius is 4-1 in his last five professional boxing bouts.
- Joshua has been the betting favorite in every professional bout he’s been in, besides his rematch with Usyk, where he closes as the +198.
- Helenius has been the underdog in three of his last five bouts, being no stranger to that role.
- Joshua has 22 KOs in his professional boxing career. (28 bouts)
- Helenius has 21 TKOs in his professional boxing career. (36 bouts)
How to Bet on Joshua vs. Helenius
Betting on Joshua vs. Helenius is a very interesting task. With the short-notice opponent change for Joshua, it’s kind of a rushed process to arrive at your boxing prediction. Make sure you take the time to look at the film and preview all the betting lines available for this bout.
Joshua is coming in as the massive -1667 betting favorite over the +900 Finnish heavyweight. The over/under is set even at 5.5 rounds, which is a very tough line to bet on with these two heavyweights in the ring.
The fight is currently +350 to make it to the scorecards, with Joshua at -480 to finish the fight and Helenius at +1300 to do the same. That +1300 line is the most interesting one out of the bunch this weekend. Joshua has shown some suspect mental toughness and decisions in the ring as of late; he will need to be 100% focused to get the job done on Saturday night.
From the technical side of this fight, we have seen multiple versions of Joshua in the last few years. Inside the ring, he switches roles: a fierce hunter with lunges and power shots, or adept pure boxer achieving success. Staying more upright and on his back foot, countering and fighting behind the jab.
Helenius is an all-around solid fighter. His massive size and durability allow him to keep pressure on his opponents and land big shots of his own, but if you look back at his recent fight against the powerful puncher in Deontay Wilder, he got caught following Wilder around the ring and walked into a devastating shot.
Joshua vs. Helenius Betting Picks
There are many different picks you could potentially make for this Joshua vs. Helenius matchup. If you want to bet on boxing, you have to make sure to double-check the betting lines and make sure you aren’t making a pick without making sure it’s the perfect pick to make.
After breaking down this matchup and the boxing odds, it’s clear to say that Joshua is most likely going to get his hand raised on Saturday night in London. He is the more athletically gifted and technical fighter out of the two.
With this fight being on short notice, we don’t know how good of shape Helenius is in cardiovascularly, so that goes to Joshua’s advantage, knowing he had a full camp leading up to this.
The style of Helenius will allow Joshua to find his shots easier than if he had to fight a guy like Andy Ruiz on short notice. There’s a reason Matchroom Boxing decided to go with Helenius as Joshua’s new opponent.
Let’s face it; it’s also going to be tough for Helenius to steal the fight on the scorecards in London on this card–boxing just tends to favor the A-side of the promotion more often than not.
Joshua is going to get a KO victory in the 7th round. Having already inflicted damage, he awaits Helenius’ entry into range, ready to capitalize and bring an end to the match. You can take that exact method of victory at +900 or even hit on over 5.5 rounds. The moneyline for Joshua has zero value, so you’ll have to find a risky bet like those to win money.
Top Sportsbooks Odds
BetUs: Joshua by KO -410
BetOnline: Joshua by KO -480
Bovada: Joshua by KO -400
MyBookie: Joshua by KO -390
Bonus! Other Fights Worth Placing a Bet On
Heavyweight boxing co-main event in London: Derek Chisora (-700) vs. Gerald Washington (+430)
Set as the co-main event during Joshua vs. Helenius, the beloved Chisora will enjoy strong backing from the London audience.
At this stage of Chisora’s career, it’s tough to imagine what version we will get of him inside the ring, but his experience should take him over the top against Washington on Saturday night. The Washington underdog pick is very justifiable as well, though.
WBO Junior Lightweight title fight: Emanual Navarrete (+138) vs. Oscar Valdez (-150)
Following the Joshua-Helenius card, don’t miss the upcoming US event featuring two elite fighters clashing in the ring. As per the latest boxing news, both possess speed, power, and Mexican fighting spirit, promising an impressive Saturday night showdown.
The edge goes to Valdez, but this one might be fight-of-the-year with how it looks on paper.
Check out the best betting sites to wager online at Online Betting Sports. Stay with us to keep up with the best offshore sportsbook reviews and sports betting bonuses. Follow us on Twitter.
