Helenius: I know I have to put everything on the line to beat Wilder

Robert Helenius acknowledges he’s had ups and downs in his career, but is looking to keep his recent positive momentum rolling against Deontay Wilder.

Robert Helenius has perhaps the biggest fight of his career on schedule as he readies to face former heavyweight titlist Deontay Wilder on October 15. At age 38, one wouldn’t think Helenius could possibly be coming into his prime, but Helenius expects to show people that he’s not really past it and that he’s even still improving as a fighter.

“People are going to see that I’m not that old, that I have a couple of years in me still,” Helenius told Sky Sports. “I’ve had good training camp after good training camp so I’ve been improving still.”

Helenius doesn’t for a second believe that Wilder will be an easy opponent, expecting him to still be in top form, and believes that winning this fight will prove he’s worthy to contend for a major world title.

“I have to prove myself in this fight as well so that I can get the world championship fight. It’s not going to be easy. That’s why we have been doing work all year. We knew we have to do everything, put everything on the line,” Helenius insisted.

And with his preparations going smoothly, Helenius adds that he’s feeling well-prepared to upset the odds to beat Wilder, and says he’ll do everything in his power to assure himself the win here. Should that victory come to fruition, Helenius says the next natural fight for him would be to face the winner of Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk (which is still far from being official).

That, however, is all talk about the future, and for now Helenius would prefer to keep his attention focused on the present, as Wilder is surely a dangerous and formidable foe.