Heavyweight Robert Helenius has received a two-year ban to test positive for the banned substance clomiphene in his final fight with two-time champion Anthony Joshua on August 12, 2023, at the O2 Arena in London.
Helenius was Joshua’s replacement and did not compete before being stopped in the seventh round in one of AJ’s four comeback fights after losing twice to Oleksandr Usyk.
According to Sky Sports, UK Anti-Doping [UKAD] administered the test, which showed a positive result for the 40-year-old Helenus (32-5, 21 KOs). The Finnish heavyweight could not show how the forbidden substance entered his system.
“However, following UKAD’s request, Mr Helenius could not provide evidence that the eggs and chicken meat he ate before he started the attack came from chickens that had been given clomiphene,” said UKAD via Sky Sports.
The two-year ban will affect Helenius’ career because he is still young enough to be inactive during that time without it having a significant impact. As of 2022, Helenus has been knocked out in two of his last three fights.
The ban will end on September 17 next year. Helenus was awarded a temporary suspension effective September 18, 2023. She will serve two years.
It may be the end of the road for Helenius because he will have trouble continuing at the age of 41 if the ban ends.
Former WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder stopped him in the first round on October 15, 2022. That was Wilder’s last win.
Helenius looked impressive in 2021, stopping Adam Kownacki in six rounds in their rematch. In their last fight in March 2020, Helenus knocked out Kownacki in the fourth round.
That fight caught the attention of many boxing fans because of how strong Helenus looked. His second knockdown paved the way for him to be used as a replacement for Joshua last August.
Last updated on 07/19/2024
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