Photos: Helenius, Braekhus Putting in Work

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

WBA & WBO Intercontinental heavyweight champion Robert Helenius (16-0, 11 KOs), joined by WBA/WBC/WBO female welterweight champion Cecilia Braekhus (18-0, 4 KOs), put in some hard work at Berlin´s Max-Schmeling-Gym. “The Nordic Nightmare” is preparing for a very dangerous opponent on December 3rd at Helsinki´s renowned Hartwall Arena. He faces British boxer Dereck Chisora (15-1, 9 KOs) for the vacant European heavyweight title. Helenius wants to continue his string of battering victories. Five of his last six opponents have failed to go the distance and three of them were former heavyweight world champions.

On the same show, Braekhus defends against Kuulei Kupihea (7-1, 2 KOs). Both boxers are trained by eight-time German coach of the year Ulli Wegner.

http://www.boxingscene.com/?m=show&opt=printable&id=46323

Unbeaten WBO Intercontinental heavyweight champion Robert Helenius (16-0, 11 KOs) says his time is now. “I am ready for the Klitschkos,” proclaims the 6’6 star of the Sauerland stable. Helenius returns December 3 against an opponent to be named in Helsinki, Finland. According to his promoter, negotiations are ongoing with “two top people” and ‘Mister X’ will be announced in the coming days. “For me, it’s no problem,” says Helinius. “I just need a couple of weeks to adjust myself for each opponent.” Helinius has KO’d three former heavyweight champions and has stopped ten of his last eleven opponents.

http://www.fightnews.com/Boxing/helenius-targets-klitschko-101097

A fight between Alexander Dimitrenko (32-1, 21 KO’s) and unbeaten WBO Intercontinental heavyweight champion Robert Helenius (16-0, 11 KO’s) is rumored to be in the works for the December 3rd undercard of the title fight between WBA heavyweight champion Alexander Povetkin and 42-year-old challenger Cedric Boswell in Helsinki, Finland.

The Helenius-Dimitrenko fight would be perfect for the card, as Helenius comes from nearby Sweden and he can pull in fans from there as well as Finland. The fight card certainly needs something to attract interest from fans because the fight between Povetkin and his number #14 ranked contender Boswell is a hopeless mismatch and no one is even remotely interested in seeing this title milking fight for Povetkin.

Helenius, 27, is ranked #1 WBO, #3 WBA, #3 IBF and #8 WBC, is considered one of the best contenders in the division as of now. He could have gotten a title shot against one of the Klitschko brothers but he and his management feels he needs a little more time before he’s thrown out there with the much better skilled Klitschkos.

Putting Helenius in with Dimitrenko would be a great transition fight for him, though, because Dimitrenko has a style very similar to Wladimir, albeit without the handspeed, power or the crushing jab. In part it would give Helenius an idea of what he’ll be up against when and if he ever faces Wladimir.

Dimitrenko is tall at 6’7″, and this would be a fight where the 6’6 1/2″ Helenius would be facing someone bigger than him for the first time in his career. It’s a risk for him because he’s been able to dominate at a distance against shorter foes and he won’t be able to do this with Dimitrenko, who has a four inch reach advantage over the big Swede. Helenius has the much better power, but he mostly throws with big power in close. If Dimitrenko keeps the fight to the outside this could be a very difficult fight for Helenius to win.

By Eric Thomas:
http://www.boxingnews24.com/2011/10/helenius-vs-dimitrenko-a-possibility-for-povetkin-boswell-undercard-on-december-3rd/

Robert Helenius (16-0, 11 KOs) is the new top-ranked challenger in the latest World Boxing Organization (WBO) Rankings. The Nordic Nightmare, who holds the WBA & WBO Intercontinental Heavyweight Titles, most recently completed his KO hat-trick of former world champions. He has now knocked out Lamon Brewster, Samuel Peter and Siarhei Liakhovich.

“I am thrilled to be the top-ranked challenger with the WBO,” Helenius said. “That´s fantastic news and shows that my performances inside the ring have not gone unnoticed in the world of boxing. I am very ambitious and there is a lot more to come.”–

http://www.boxingnews24.com/2011/09/helenius-tops-wbo-heavyweight-rankings/

Erfurt, Germany – Rising heavyweight WBO Intercontinental champion Robert Helenius (16-0, 11KOs) knocked out former WBO champion Sergei Liakhovich (25-4, 16KOs) in the ninth round. At the time of the stoppage, Helenius was winning on the official cards by way of a split decision, with scores of 77-74 and 76-75 for Helenius and 76-75 on the third for Liakhovich.

Liakhovich did not arrive to Germany to lay down. He gave it his all, swelling the face of Helenius in the early rounds and digging to the head and body. Liakhovich was having problems breathing with a possible broken nose, with Helenius taking over the fight with hard punches to the former champion’s face.

In the eight round, Helenius began to batter Liakhovich with hard punches to send him down to his knees in the final twenty seconds. Liakhovich made it up before the bell.

At the start of the ninth, Helenius unloaded on Liakhovich with massive shots to send him down for a second time. The referee stopped the fight as Liakhovich’s corner threw in the towel at the same time.

By Alexey Sukachev
http://www.boxingscene.com/?m=show&opt=printable&id=43096#ixzz1b9KVSSML

Former WBO heavyweight champion Siarhei Liakhovich (25-3, 16 KO’s) faces young heavyweight contender Robert Helenius (15-0, 10 KO’s) in two weeks on August 27th at the Messehaille, Erut, Thuringen, Germany. Helenius, 27, ranked #2 WBO, #3 IBF, #9 WBA, #13 WBC, is quickly moving up the heavyweight rankings after an impressive 9th round TKO win over Samuel Peter on April 2nd. Helenius beat Peter even more impressively than world champion Wladimir Klitschko did in beating Peter last September.

Helenius has good size at 6’6″ 240 lbs, and is hard to hit because of his long reach and ability to fight on the outside. He doesn’t hit as hard as the Klitschkos, but he’s got good enough power to worry any heavyweight in the division. It’s interesting that Wladimir and Vitali Klitschko haven’t gone after him yet, because he’s easily the best option available in the heavyweight division right now. He would be a very tough fight for either of the Klitschkos. Although I think they’re both too good for him right now, this could change in the near future if he continues to improve.

Liakhovich, 35, hasn’t done much since losing his World Boxing Organization title to Shannon Briggs in 2006. For some reason, Liakhovich has fought only three times since that defeat, losing another fight to Nikolay Valuev two years later in February 2008, and then beating a couple of B level fighters in Jeremy Bates and Evans Quinn to get to this fight. It goes without saying that Liahovich has really wasted a lot of time with his career. He easily should have fought at least 14 times since the loss to Briggs, and it’s mind boggling how much time and money he’s lost out on by being so inactive. At 35, it’s hard to see Liakhovich having much of an impact on the heavyweight division. However, it’s possible if he can somehow win this fight that he could find himself in against one of the Klitschko brothers to get a nice payday.

Helenius will probably be too big and powerful for the 6’4″ Liakhovich in this fight. It really depends on which Liakhovich shoves up for the fight. If he fights like he did in beating Lamon Brewster by a 12 round decision to capture the WBO title in April 2006, then I can see him possibly beating Helenius. However, if Liakhovich fights the same way he did against Valuev by fighting passively, then it’s going to be an easy win for Helenius.

By Jason Kim

Helenius vs. Liakhovich will be a war while it lasts

Maxim Pediura (13-2-1, 11 KOs) is one of the sparring partners for rising heavyweight giant Robert Helenius (15-0, 10 KOs), who trains hard in camp for his upcoming fight on August 27th in Germany, when he fights for the WBO intercontinental belt against former heavyweight champion Sergei Liakhovich (25-3, 16 KOs).