Heavyweight hope Robert Helenius surprised at his brisk progress in the boxing ring

In Helsinki pro bout, Helenius will confront Gbenga Oloukun of Nigeria

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The fatigue is audible when Robert Helenius speaks.
      A professional boxer’s life is austere. The hard training sucks the strength out, even from a man in prime condition.
      On March 26th, however, the 26-year-old Finnish heavyweight had better find his form, for he will enter the ring in a professional boxing night in Helsinki to fight the Nigerian Gbenga Oloukun, also 26.
      For Helenius, the bout will be his 12th as a professional boxer.
      “In the ring I will come up against a fellow who is quick, young, strong and eager”, Helenius lists his opponent’s qualities over the telephone from Berlin where he currently lives.
     
Thus far Helenius’s track record as a pro fighter is impressive.
      From 11 bouts the native of Porvoo has collected 11 scalps.
      In his most recent encounter Helenius finished off the former WBO Heavyweight World Champion Lamon Brewster with an 8th-round technical knockout in Germany in January.
      The Finn admits that his tremendous progress in the ring has taken even him by surprise.
      “Everything has gone according to plan. My own boxing was a pleasant surprise in the previous fight.”
      Oloukun, too, has beaten Brewster, on a unanimous points decision. The Nigerian’s balance sheet as a pro fighter reads 17 wins in 20 bouts.
     
The organisers of the boxing night at Helsinki’s Kisahalli announced the event’s boxers on Thursday.
      In addition to Helenius, especially Eva Wahlström’s first bout as a professional boxer evokes interest.
      She was the silver medallist at the European Amateur Championships in 2004 and 2005, and has won 10 Finnish titles in the 60kg category.
      Robert Helenius insists that fighting in his home country does not create extra pressure.
      “I have not thought about it. I would imagine that it will be nice to perform in front of a home crowd.”
     
With the success also talk of a heavyweight title match has increased. Title bouts loom even in Helenius’s eyes.
      The Finnish giant does not want to speculate, however, whether he might be seen for example fighting over the European title already this year.
      “That is a question for my coach and the promoters. I just take one fight at a time”, says the boxer, who was born in Stockholm in Sweden.
      The Brewster bout was the concluding fight of Helenius’s contract period with the German Sauerland team.
      If everything goes well a new contract may be signed already next week, the Finn adds.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Scheduled Helsinki heavyweight world title fight cancelled on health grounds (1.6.2009)

Links:
  Helenius´s pro record to date
  Robert Helenius (Wikipedia)

Helsingin Sanomat