Deontay Wilder truly only needs one.
This past weekend, Wilder, 36, returned to the ring with intentions to rebound off his first career losing streak in his second and third matches against Tyson Fury. To say Wilder did just that would be putting it mildly.
Needing only a single round to get the job done, Wilder put Robert Helenius’ lights out in vintage fashion. Of Wilder’s 43 career victories as a pro boxer, this knockout scored a wild 42nd. The loss was Helenius’ first since July 2019 when he fell short against Gerald Washington.
Despite being a consistent fan of Wilder’s, longtime UFC commentator and boxing fan Joe Rogan was still blown away by the performance. When most think about heavyweight boxers and the most dangerous of all-time, Mike Tyson is generally among the very first names mentioned, and arguably the best. For Rogan, he believes Wilder now stands alone atop the mountain.
“It’s absolutely f****** amazing the power that [Wilder] can generate,” Rogan said on Instagram. “He’s truly unlike anyone I’ve ever seen in the history of the heavyweight division. You can make no mistakes with this man. There have been many incredible KO artists in the history of boxing, but for my money, he’s the most impressive. If you look at this punch it wasn’t even with full leverage and his opponent instantly shuts off. It’s what the great Firas Zahabi calls ‘the touch of death.’”
The knockout was particularly nasty due to its immediate aftermath. Helenius stiffened up as soon as the shot landed, falling to the floor wide-eyed. It was such a scene that a tearful Wilder admitted after the match that he had great concern for his opponent. Helenius took to social media on Sunday to share that he didn’t suffer any serious damage, but Wilder wished him all the best for his long-term health.
