Tuscaloosa native Deontay Wilder wins with first-round KO of Robert Helenius in boxing comeback

Deontay Wilder won with a first-round knockout against Robert Helenius on Saturday night at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, in a heavyweight boxing match.

Tuscaloosa native Wilder (43-2-1, 42 knockouts) knocked out Helenius (31-4, 20 knockouts) after Helenius walked into a short, hard straight right hand to the temple when he cornered Wilder. He was counted out at 2:57 of the opening round.

Helenius was on the canvas for at least a minute before he was helped up and still appeared out of his senses after some time.

Wilder, a 6-foot-7 and 214 1/2-pound former World Boxing Council champion, was stalked by Helenius when the 253 1/4-pounder worked to Wilder's body in an attempt to set up big shots upstairs.

Helenius, 6-6, and Wilder were previously sparring partners.

The result marked Wilder's 21st first-round KO.

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Wilder was at his lightest since fighting Tyson Fury at 212 in 2018. Helenius, fought at his heaviest weight since 2016.

Wilder, 36, lost his previous two fights by knockout to Fury. His last was an 11th-round knockout in October 2021. He lost his WBC title to Fury in February 2020. Before then, Wilder successfully defended his belt against Dominic Breazeale and Luis Ortiz after Wilder and Fury fought to a split decision in 2018. Wilder was a bronze medalist at the 2008 Summer Olympics.

Helenius, a 38-year-old Finland native, twice defeated contender Adam Kownacki by knockout in 2020 and 2021 and had won his last three fights by knockout. He was knocked out in 2019 by Gerald Washington and 2016 by Johann Duhaupas. Helenius lost by unanimous decision to Dillian Whyte in 2017.

This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Deontay Wilder wins over Robert Helenius in boxing comeback