Robert Helenius replaces Dillian Whyte as Anthony Joshua’s opponent for Saturday

Anthony Joshua will fight Robert Helenius at London’s O2 Arena on Saturday night after the Finnish boxer was confirmed as Dillian Whyte’s replacement.

Joshua was set to face fellow British heavyweight Whyte, but the bout had to be cancelled last weekend after “adverse analytical findings” were detected in a doping test conducted by Whyte, who has vowed to clear his name.

It left Matchroom in a race against time to find a new opponent but, 72 hours after Whyte’s failed test was made public, 39-year-old Helenius has answered the SOS from the promotion company despite having fought in Finland last weekend.

Former two-time world heavyweight champion Joshua said: “This wasn’t in the script.