GOOD
Robert Helenius?
The “Nordic Nightmare” hadn’t been a relevant heavyweight for close to a decade. The tall, lean Finn was taken seriously around the time he beat in succession Samuel Peter, Sergey Liakhovic and Derek Chisora, but that was in 2011.
Since then, injuries and promotional issues ended whatever momentum he had built and periodic losses – to Johann Duhaupas, Dillian Whyte and, only eight months ago, Gerald Washington (by knockout) – prevented him from regaining it.
Indeed, how he ended up in a title eliminator against Adam Kownacki on Saturday in Brooklyn is anybody’s guess.
Well, it doesn’t matter how opportunities arise. The idea is to take advantage of them when they do. And he certainly did.
Helenius, who never gave up on himself, used guile and toughness to withstand the blanket of punches with which Kownacki smothers his opponents to score one of the biggest upsets in recent months, a fourth-round knockout before thousands of stunned Kownacki fans at the Polish-American’s home arena, Barclays Center.
Helenius, 36, said beforehand that he was as healthy as he had been in years and that he his training was going well. He said in so many words that he was embarrassed by the loss to Washington, which only made him more determined to succeed in what is probably the last stage of his career.
And he reminded us that a heavyweight – almost any heavyweight – can turn a fight in an instant because of inherent strength. He hurt Kownacki with a right hand, which caused a “slip,” and it was all downhill from there for Kownacki.
As a result, Helenius went from all-but-forgotten to a major player in the sport’s glamour division overnight. He’s the No. 1 contender for one of Anthony Joshua’s titles and in position for other lucrative matchups.
Only in boxing.
BAD
Live by the sword, die by the sword. Kownacki learned this lesson the hard way.
Kownacki has been willing to take punches in order to give them because he generally outpunches you, both in terms of volume and power. That has been a winning formula. The problem is that, at some point, one or two of those punches you take are going to hurt you.
That’s what happened to him on Saturday. He fell victim to both a big, strong opponent and inevitability. Helenius hurt him with that first right hand and he simply couldn’t recover.
The first loss is always hard for anyone to swallow. The fact it came by brutal knockout in Kownacki’s case will have been particularly painful emotionally.
The good news is that life and boxing careers go on. If Kownacki is smart, he will have learned a valuable lesson from the setback. He shouldn’t change who he is, a high-energy fighter who outworks his opponent almost every minute of every round. That plan of attack is what has made him effective and exciting.
At the same time, he can’t ignore defense entirely. Reckless aggression can lead to disaster, as we saw on Saturday. Dial it back just a bit. Put more emphasis on avoiding punches both in the gym and come fight time. That change could help Kownacki avoid another disaster and perhaps prolong his career.
It’s all part of the learning process. Kownacki could come back a better fighter.
WORSE
OK, I’m ready for the incessant speculation over who Canelo Alvarez will fight on May 2 to end. I’m ready for that announcement, which is expected this week.
Don’t get me wrong. Such chatter has always been a part of boxing at its highest level. Who will fight whom? It can be fun. With Alvarez, though, it seems to go on and on … and on, with offers being made and rejected seemingly on a daily basis. Only those involved know what’s true and what’s merely rumor.
And it’s not as if the fans are going to get a payoff for the long wait.
I applauded Alvarez for moving up to light heavyweight in what turned out to be a successful attempt to take Sergey Kovalev’s title. I still think that was a bold move. The same goes for his previous fight, a real risk against Daniel Jacobs.
Unless I’m shocked, the opponent about to be announced will not have been worth the wait. Everyone seems to be convinced that Billy Joe Saunders will be lucky lottery winner. That fight makes sense in that Alvarez can add a genuine title in a fourth division with a victory. However, from a fan’s standpoint, it’s hard to get excited about Alvarez vs. Saunders.
Alvarez and Co. would’ve had to choose another top light heavyweight (Artur Beterbiev?) or a third fight with Gennadiy Golovkin to truly pique our interest. Saunders doesn’t do it.
I’ll get excited as Alvarez’s next fight approaches. I always do. He’s one of my favorite fighters. As for who he’ll fight? Let me know when the contracts are signed and the actual announcement is made. Until then, it’s just boring.