“The Nordic Nightmare” is heading back home.
Heavyweight contender Robert Helenius will return on August 5 to take on fellow Finish fighter Mika Mielonen in Savonlinna, Finland.
The match will mark the 39-year-old Helenius’ first fight since suffering a brutal first-round knockout loss to former heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder in October.
Prior to the Wilder loss, the 6 foot 7 Helenius (31-4, 20 KOs) had scored back-to-back stoppage wins against then-unbeaten Adam Kownacki. Other notable wins for Helenius have come against Lamon Brewster, Samuel Peter, and Siarhei Liakhovich, and he’s lost to Gerald Washington, Dillian Whyte, and Johann Duhaupas.
Mielonenn (6-0, 6 KOs) is a 41-year-old who has faced unheralded opposition ever since turning pro in 2021.
The 15-year professional Helenius will be fighting in Finland for the first time since 2018.
Manouk Akopyan is a sports journalist, writer, and broadcast reporter. He’s also a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and the MMA Journalists Association. He can be reached on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube at @ManoukAkopyan, through email at manouk[dot]akopyan[at]gmail.com, or via www.ManoukAkopyan.com.