ANTHONY JOSHUA needs to jump in and fight Deontay Wilder while he still has a few loyal fans left.
Just three rounds into his warm-up fight with Robert Helenius tonight, thousands of his fickle followers turned on him and booed and whistled his cautious performance.
Anthony Joshua knocked out Robert Helenius at the O2 ArenaRichard Pelham / The Sun
Joshua secured victory in the seventh roundRichard Pelham / The Sun
AJ performed a strange victory dance in the ringRichard Pelham / The Sun
DAZNJoshua took a sip of Conor McGregor’s pint after victory[/caption]
The London 2012 gold and two heavyweight world title runs apparently meant nothing until he detonated a vicious right hand in round seven and ended the awkward affair then leaped into the ringside VIPs to celebrate with his real supporters.
Joshua walked out of his dressing room to the Godfather theme song, played by a solo violinist, but dressed in a blood-red robe straight out of the Scarface wardrobe.
Seven days before he had made Helenius an offer he could not refuse and now the London 2012 Brit legend had to collect.
He took to one knee to pray in the final seconds before the opening bell and caught the first Helenius combination on his guard.
The 33-year-old threw a couple of wild single right hands that missed and a left hook, showing dangerous intent but not much plan or technique.
The giant pair swapped jabs in the second, then a crisp right hand from AJ clipped the 39-year-old and made the crowd whoop.
The 10-1 Viking underdog slashed a right hook into Joshua’s ribs just before the bell but it bounced off his six-pack.
The ruthless crowd started whistling and booing before the third had barely started.
But AJ landed a big right hand that shocked Helenius and silenced the jeers briefly.
And a straight rocket of a right bounced Helenius back into the ropes in round four and blood started seeping down from his nose and staining his moustache.
Just as the fifth started it appeared Joshua had welts growing around both of his eyes, despite not appearing to have taken any damaging digs.
And he ended the round on a high, a sweet left hook landing and making Helenius stagger around the ring before the bell intervened.
AJ’s nose was leaking blood by the seventh but then he landed the incredible shot that felled 6ft 8in Helenius like a giant tree.
And he jumped into the audience to thank those real fans he knows will stick by him now and in January in Saudi Arabia if the Wilder showdown is secured.
Joshua – who took a sip out of Conor McGregor’s pint – said: “I want to give Helenius a round of applause for saving the show.
“This is my time in the ring, I told Helenius to come again because he has talent and I had to work him out.
“A loss on your record can be like a suicide but he will come back.”
Then he joked: “Is there a doctor in here because my back has gone from carrying this heavyweight division to the top!”
GettyJoshua landed a huge right hand to end the fight[/caption]
ReutersHelenius fought a week ago in Finland before stepping in to replace Dillian Whyte[/caption]
Joshua failed to capitalise on his early big hitsRichard Pelham / The Sun
Joshua looked far from convincing for much of the fightRichard Pelham / The Sun
Joshua joked his back hurt from carrying the heavyweight divisionRichard Pelham / The Sun
There was plenty of respect between the two fightersRichard Pelham / The Sun
McGregor and Eddie Hearn were ringside for the showdownRichard Pelham / The Sun