Nordic Nightmare: Helenius destroys Brewster Pic: ©Photo Wende / Winfried Mausolf
Robert Helenius continued his winning ways with an eighth-round technical knockout victory over former WBO heavyweight champion Lamon Brewster.
The unbeaten Scandinavian took his record to 11-0 (7 KOs) and continued to raise his profile as a rising star in the heavyweight division. The ‘Nordic Nightmare’ knocked down Brewster in the second round with a huge right to the chin and maintained the pressure to wear down the American who tried in vain land his own.
“My coach told me to throw left-right combinations,” Helenius said. “That´s what I did and Brewster was on the floor in the second. I felt really comfortable throughout but Brewster was dangerous because he has so much power.”
In the eighth round Helenius destroyed the veteran Brewster, 35-6 (30 KOs). A powerful left-right combination sent Brewster to the corner.
Helenius continued to unleash a barrage of strong punches to the body and head which forced the referee to step in and call a halt to the contest.
Coach Ulli Wegner said: “Robert has a golden future ahead. This was just his 11th fight as a professional and to beat a world-class guy like Brewster at this early stage of his career certainly tells the world of boxing something about his class. I am very proud of him.”
Added sports director Hagen Doering: “This was a great victory for Robert, who has now beaten the likes of Brewster, Bidenko and Gammer in just nine months.
“He learns very fast and is developing very quickly. I already spoke to coach Ulli Wegner and we look forward to fighting in Finland again soon.”
Also on the undercard, Karo Murat (21-0, 12 KOs) made a successful first defence of his WBO Intercontinental Light Heavyweight Title when he stopped Sean Corbin (13-2, 9 KOs) in the second round.
Murat dusted his opponent with two strong hooks. When Corbin was under pressure again following a heavy combination, the referee stopped the fight.
“I am very pleased,” Murat said. “I have adjusted well to the new weight class. I don’t have to lose that much weight anymore, which makes my punches much more powerful. Corbin was a tough guy but I am happy I could finish him off so quickly.”
Bulgarian heavyweight hopeful Kubrat Pulev (5-0, 3 KOs) also scored a spectacular fourth-round KO victory over former world title challenger Matt Skelton.
