Robert Helenius vs. Adam Kownacki II - October 9, 2021

[Ruthless-RKO]

Helenius, Kownacki Working To Finalize Deal For Rematch Early In 2021

Adam Kownacki will get his shot at redemption.

Boxing Scene has learned Kownacki and Robert Helenius have agreed in principle to a deal for a heavyweight rematch that’ll take place sometime early in 2021. Their contracts aren’t finalized, but Kownacki and Helenius have committed to a second fight FOX could televise as early as January.

Helenius upset the previously unbeaten Kownacki by fourth-round technical knockout March 7 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

The Polish-born, Brooklyn-bred Kownacki (20-1, 15 KOs) was consistently listed as a 25-1 favorite to defeat Finland’s Helenius in their scheduled 12-rounder. Helenius withstood Kownacki’s early onslaught and dropped Kownacki twice in the fourth round, which forced referee David Fields to stop the action 1:08 into that round.

The 31-year-old Kownacki’s knockout defeat derailed him from pursuing the heavyweight title shot he had hoped to secure in 2021. Helenius (30-3, 19 KOs) wasn’t contractually obliged to give Kownacki a rematch, but Kowancki wants an opportunity to avenge his lone loss and it makes financial sense for both sides to fight again.

The 36-year-old Helenius was convinced in the immediate aftermath of his reinvigorating victory that Kownacki didn’t really want to fight him again.

“I don’t know why he would want to fight me again after what I did to him,” Helenius told Boxing Scene in April. “He may say that he wants to fight me again, but deep inside, I don’t think so.”

The Helenius-Kownacki rematch will be one of the fights early in 2021 that FOX executives hope will help the network regain some of the boxing viewership it attracted prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to Nielsen Media Research, the peak viewership of the Helenius-Kownacki fight was 1,681,000. An average of 1,675,000 viewers watched what was the main event of a tripleheader.

The 6-feet-3, 265¼-pound Kownacki seemingly began wearing down his 6-feet-6, 238¾-pound opponent until Helenius hurt him with a left-right combination that knocked Kownacki to one knee 20 seconds into the fourth round. Fields missed the punches Helenius landed and didn’t count that as a knockdown, but a woozy Kownacki didn’t stay on his feet much longer.

A right-left combination sent Kownacki flat on his back just 10 seconds after he went to one knee. Kownacki courageously got right to his feet again, but Helenius unleashed a barrage of flush punches that backed a defenseless Kownacki into the ropes.

That’s when Fields stepped between them to stop their fight.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Kownacki will need to lose some weight for this.

[DrDuke]

I think, someone gets KOed and most likely it'll be Kownacki again. Kownacki won't outbox Helenius, he's just not capable of it. Kownacki will go at Helenius with his mauling onslaught again, but he won't become a defensive wizard for the rematch. Kownacki's chances for the win are in chopping Helenious down before Helenius chops down Kownacki. And Helenius still has an advantage of being sharper, more precise and way more hard-hitting. Helenius will repeat.

[gregregegg]

I just hope that no matter what happenes noone uses it to justify one of these guys being top 15 guys. because neither are very good.

[DrDuke]

I just hope that no matter what happenes noone uses it to justify one of these guys being top 15 guys. because neither are very good.

Helenius is quite good, he's just inconsistent. If only he was able to maintain his game. The guy is lengthy, technical and hits damn hard.

[margaret thatcher]

I just hope that no matter what happenes noone uses it to justify one of these guys being top 15 guys. because neither are very good.

the bar isnt that high for top 15 tbf, winner has a case for the lower end

[Ruthless-RKO]

I just hope that no matter what happenes noone uses it to justify one of these guys being top 15 guys. because neither are very good.

the bar isnt that high for top 15 tbf, winner has a case for the lower end

Yeh, didn't Kownacki sneak into one of ESPN, Ring or TBRB's top 10 not long ago..

[bobcatbox]

Terrible move for Kownacki. Helenius all wrong for him.

[aicheligad]

Kownacki will win this time unless he's chin is totally done and he can't take a punch anymore, which I think is not the case.

[Heretic]

Kownacki will win this time unless he's chin is totally done and he can't take a punch anymore, which I think is not the case.

What do you see going different from the first fight? Any underlying reasons for the loss that general public is not aware of?

The styles mix in bad way for Kownacki in this one.

How does he win the rematch?

[aicheligad]

Kownacki will win this time unless he's chin is totally done and he can't take a punch anymore, which I think is not the case.

What do you see going different from the first fight? Any underlying reasons for the loss that general public is not aware of?

The styles mix in bad way for Kownacki in this one.

How does he win the rematch?

He can win it by using the same tactics (well, just going to rip his opponent's head off probably isn't enough to call it a ''tactic'', but it worked most of the time so far) as in the first fight - he was winning rounds, Helenius was under the constant pressure, another KO win for Kownacki seemed the most likely outcome (though I admit that Helenius, unlike most of Kownacki's opponent, landed decent punches since the beginning of the fight and made Kownacki look vulnerable).

I hope that Kownacki will finally start to fight smarter - not just rush since the beginning of the fight, but rather in the second part. Helenius is better at counter-attacking than in pressure fighting.

Kownacki needs to learn some basic defence skills like how to keep the guard up (some defensive footwork skills are desirable too but I guess it's too much for him at this point). Sounds easy, at least in theory, but as we know, Adam's defence skills are close to unexsisting

What else he can do? The obvious thing - lose some weight

It's probably 50% Kownacki KO win by using his usual tactics and 50% Helenius by the same outcome as in the first fight. I'd say 60-40 though because I'm biased

[Finkel]

I thought the first fight was a WBA title eliminator.

Seems strange that Helenius is not pursuing a final eliminator instead of this rematch.

Though I suppose he doesn't have a chance of getting a title shot regardless before 2023, so he might as well make some money now...

[Ruthless-RKO]

Janaury Date Nearly Set

MTV 3 in Finland reported the other day that the rematch between Robert Helenius and Adam Kownacki is just about set and will go ahead already in January. This fight has been on the table for months now and according to MTV 3 only a few details remain to be worked out.

Helenius (30-3) handed Kownacki (20-1) his first loss in March in what was regarded as a stunning upset but a puncher is always in the fight with a chance - and the Nordic Nightmare can punch. After the win the WBA awarded Robert with its Gold title.

Helenius' manager Markus Sundman has declined to make any comment.

[Ruthless-RKO]

[gregregegg]

Its a fun enough fight sure, but dont like this rematch. Seems everytime a favorite loses theres a rematch now... my problem with it is, what happens if Kow wins? you just leave it 1-1 and dont rematch, that seems silly, but is this fight really worth a trillogy....

[ldlamb]

Come on...you know...as long as the bigger money fighter avenges his loss...he’ll just move on and there will be no trilogy.

[Onetimeonly]

I'll watch this and a third if it got made. Perfect match up, the overall winner can get beat up out of their fringe range.

[oogiebe]

Its a fun enough fight sure, but dont like this rematch. Seems everytime a favorite loses theres a rematch now... my problem with it is, what happens if Kow wins? you just leave it 1-1 and dont rematch, that seems silly, but is this fight really worth a trillogy....

yes, yes it is.

[DrDuke]

In a case of Kownacki's win the 3rd bout is indeed can be made and I'm not much against it, but let's go Robbie, make it 2-0 and then face Martin, while Kownacki can be fed to some prospect.

[Autobarn]

Helenius has had such poor form the past few years that this once prospect still has something to prove before he becomes a credible title challenger.

First fight was good; hope the rematch will be.

[DrDuke]

Helenius has had such poor form the past few years that this once prospect still has something to prove before he becomes a credible title challenger.

He was inconsistent.

[gilgamesh]

I just hope that no matter what happenes noone uses it to justify one of these guys being top 15 guys. because neither are very good.

Helenius is quite good, he's just inconsistent. If only he was able to maintain his game. The guy is lengthy, technical and hits damn hard.

You can be good, and still not be Top 15.

Helenius would definitely mop the floor with any Joe Schmo's like us, but there's easily 15 Better Professional Heavyweights in the world.

Kownacki vs Helenius 2 should be interesting. Maybe Kownacki will actually get in shape for the first time in ever.

[gilgamesh]

Its a fun enough fight sure, but dont like this rematch. Seems everytime a favorite loses theres a rematch now... my problem with it is, what happens if Kow wins? you just leave it 1-1 and dont rematch, that seems silly, but is this fight really worth a trillogy....

Yeah I'd say make it a trilogy. At least these guys fighting is competitive. They'd get their clocks cleaned against the guys at the top.

[margaret thatcher]

there is no inherent ability level or resume of a top 15 guy

all depends on who else is in the division and what they've done, and that varies by time and division, sometimes a lot

it's not like the hw division is deep with really impressive fighters who are regularly scoring good wins, around the bottom of the top 15 doesnt really seem outlandish

[DrDuke]

I just hope that no matter what happenes noone uses it to justify one of these guys being top 15 guys. because neither are very good.

Helenius is quite good, he's just inconsistent. If only he was able to maintain his game. The guy is lengthy, technical and hits damn hard.

You can be good, and still not be Top 15.

Helenius would definitely mop the floor with any Joe Schmo's like us, but there's easily 15 Better Professional Heavyweights in the world.

Kownacki vs Helenius 2 should be interesting. Maybe Kownacki will actually get in shape for the first time in ever.

I'd place Helenius in top 15 - top 20 range today.