After beating Helenius, Joshua to earn £47m from Wilder bout

Anthony Joshua’s seventh round knockout of Robert Helenius on Saturday has raised questions about the former world champion’s ability to face Deontay Wilder in such form.

Joshua will earn a career-high payday of $60 million (£47 million) in a mega-fight with Wilder in Saudi Arabia in the first quarter of 2024, after he defeated late replacement opponent, Helenius, in London.

Eddie Hearn, Joshua’s promoter, has insisted that the announcement is ‘imminent’ and was joined by Prince Khalid bin Abdulaziz on the ringside after Joshua’s demolition of Helenius.

“If Joshua hits Wilder on the chin, then it is over. This is about Anthony Joshua now, it is not about pleasing others. He has given everything to British boxing,” added Hearn, confident of an official announcement “in the next couple of weeks”. ‘I believe we’re on to something big’.

After claiming the 26th victory of his professional career, Joshua rounded on his critics, who had booed the contest in a quiet period of the third round against Helenius inside the O2 Arena and kept the former two-time heavyweight world champion under pressure over his evolving style.

“Why am I going to go in there and trade from round one?” queried Joshua. “We are building confidence in myself, which is important, and I have confidence in my team. It was a late replacement and Helenius’s reputation was damaged due to the fact he was knocked out in a round, but he’s a very good operator.

“He was presenting certain obstacles for me to get over and Derrick (James, trainer) guided me to that knock-out. I am just happy to get the win because I always know after one win it can lead onto something spectacular and I believe we’re onto something big.

“Are they booing me or booing Helenius? That is the