Deontay Wilder slims down 24 pounds to 214.5 for Robert Helenius fight after losing to Tyson Fury

Former heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder (42-2-1) has dropped to 214.5 pounds for Saturday’s fight against Robert Helenius, which is nearly 24 pounds lighter than last year’s trilogy fight with Tyson Fury.

Wilder, who was knocked out by Fury in the 11th round last October, previously fought around 214, so it’s not hard that the 36-year-old would come so light for Saturday’s fight in Brooklyn.

In fact, Wilder was 212 pounds for his first fight against Fury, which he nearly won before losing a controversial decision in 2018.

Helenius (31-3-0) tipped the scales at 253.25 pounds, which is common for the Swedish-Finnish fighter.

Wilder, 37, hopes to revive his title chances before age 40, when he says he plans to retire.

But after consecutive knockout defeats to Fury in 2021 and 2020, the Alabama native needs to generate some momentum against Helenius to stand a chance against his British rival or Ukrainian Oleksandr Usyk, the current IBF, WBA, WBO and IBO Heavyweight Champion.

“I only want three more years in this business,” Wilder told reporters, “and I’m ready to fight the best and I’m willing, able and ready to do whatever I have to do to get back to the top.” .’

Of course, Wilder’s rock-solid reputation (41 knockouts in his career) will help keep him among the best draws in boxing.

“When I’m in the arena, or when I’m in a fight, you know I keep people on the edge of their seats because you don’t know what’s going to happen,” Wilder said. “But if it happens baby, bam, good night.”

On Thursday, Wilder expressed his burning desire to play it against Anthony Joshua in Africa, despite not having made it past Saturday night’s opponent Helenius.

Wilder and Joshua have long had discussions about a super fight between two of the biggest modern heavyweight divisions. Now it looks like Wilder is committed to taking the fight to the future.

“Everywhere I go I hear people say me and Joshua, me and Joshua, and that’s the number one fight for them,” Wilder said during a pre-press media scrum. “If that’s the most important fight in the world for me, then that’s what I want.”

Wilder is determined to do battle on the African continent, despite lucrative offers available to the couple in the UK and US.

‘Africa, and only Africa, you know, I mean? It hasn’t been a fight there in a long time [sic],’ he said.

“It would be a good fight, I mean just go back to the continent, you know, and be in the motherland, and put your feet on the ground there.”

Wilder spent most of the pre-fight press conference scrum fielding questions about his future rather than his present. It included the prospect of fighting current WBA, IBF, WBO and IBO heavyweight champion, Oleksandr Usyk, who will be ringside at the Barclays Center.

The Ukrainian has said he would be willing to fight Wilder if Tyson Fury is not an option.

“I didn’t talk to him,” Wilder said of Usyk. “You know, I’m looking on the outside… If he’s a man of his word, and certain people have confirmed yes, so I’m looking forward to him being a man of his word.”

Despite not winning any of the trilogy fights against Fury, Wilder looked rejuvenated on Thursday after setting foot in the arena he claims to be a “second home.” His record is four knockouts from four Brooklyn fights.

“We just went back to basics for the day, we went back to having fun and doing things and what brought me here,” Wilder said of his battle preparation.

‘Come on Saturday night, I don’t want people to think I’ve found a new style or anything like that. [I’m] just go back to the basics of things you know.’

The former heavyweight champion, who is approaching his 38th birthday, has no illusions that he is closer to the end than the beginning – entering what he calls the ‘second phase’ of his career. Although “the grass is green,” he is still striving to remain at the top of the heavyweight division.

“I’m not going to stop and pick up where I left off,” Wilder said. “I’ve only got three years to go guys and now those three years are going by super fast, so that said, I don’t want to waste my time, I don’t want to waste my time and the fans’ time.”