It was a case of a repeat on Saturday night in Las Vegas on the Fury-Wilder card, as Robert Helenius gave Adam Kownacki a real hammering to win the heavyweight world title of boxing. The 37-year-old, who upset an unbeaten Kownacki by stoppage win back in March of 2020, proved again he is all wrong for 32-year-old Kownacki. The end came in round six via DQ as Kownacki was thrown out for repeated low blows.
It was a disaster for Kownacki right from the start as Helenius tagged the Polish slugger with big right hands to the head. Already, Kownacki was having to show real heart and courage. His left eye swelling badly, Kownacki made it through the round but already it was a hellish fight for him courtesy of the man from Finland.
Helenius closed Kownacki’s eye by round 2 and was beating him up. Kownacki’s nose was bleeding in round 3, and that’s when he landed low on Helenius, which dropped the Nordic Nightmare to his knees.
Kownacki, never short on guts and courage, came back in round two but other than that it was all Helenius. By the third and fourth rounds it was getting tough to watch, as Helenius was cracking Kownacki with everything – long jabs, right hands, uppercuts, body shots. And Kownacki’s left eye was in a real state.
Kownacki belted Helenius low near the end of the third, desperation perhaps getting the better of the younger man. Kownacki tried to get an assault going in the fourth, yet Helenius would not be denied. By the fifth, thoughts of how Kownacki should be pulled out began in earnest.
Kownacki was docked a point for another low blow in the fifth round as things went from bad to worse for the one-time top contender. Helenius got back to dishing out a beating after the foul. The doctor looked at Kownacki after the fifth yet he was allowed out for more.
The end then came, mercifully, in round six, as Kownacki was thrown out after landing yet another low one. In actual fact, Kownacki was likely saved from a KO loss.
It really is hard to see where Kownacki goes from here. As for Helenius, he can look forward to at least one more big fight and payday. At age 37, Helenius looks to have a good deal left to offer.
Helenius knocked out Kownacki in 2020, so he had the confidence coming into the rematch. He picked up where he left off.
One too many low blows caused the referee to disqualify Adam Kownacki, giving Robert Helenius the victory.
Helenius has turned his fortunes around since being viciously knocked out by Gerald Washington two years ago. He’s on a tear and is moving up the heavyweight boxing ranks.–Agencies