Finnish heavyweight boxer Robert Helenius has strongly denied any wrongdoing in his match against Anthony Joshua at the 02 Arena on August 12.
Before the fight, Matchroom Boxing reported that a pre-fight doping test revealed a concerning result for a non-steroid substance.
Helenius stepped in to face Joshua on short notice after Dillian Whyte was removed from the main event due to a failed test by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Agency (VADA).
This victory marked Joshua’s first stoppage win since late 2020.
In a statement issued on Saturday, Helenius maintained his innocence and assured Anthony Joshua and fans that he has always been a clean fighter.
He emphasized that he has never used any performance-enhancing substances and has been consistently tested throughout his career.
He volunteered to cooperate with both VADA and the BBBofC (British Boxing Board of Control) to clear his name.
The test in question was conducted on August 11, and the results were shared with all involved parties 14 days later.
Helenius had previously criticized doping in boxing, noting that failing a test for performance-enhancing drugs would result in a ban from competing in his home country.
This situation marks the third occurrence of doping-related news in August.
The first was Dillian Whyte’s VADA test, followed by Alycia Baumgardner, the undisputed super featherweight champion, failing a Drug Free Sport test.
Helenius, who had recently won a low-level match in his home country with a third-round knockout, managed to hold his own against Joshua, taking the fight to the seventh round before being knocked out by a powerful right hand.
