Robert Helenius tested positive for banned substance leading into fight with Anthony Joshua

As just confirmed by Matchroom Boxing, Robert Helenius was found to have an adverse finding during a drug test leading into his knockout loss to Anthony Joshua. Matchroom’s statement indicates that Helenius was tested by VADA the day before his fight with Anthony Joshua on August 12, but that they were just made aware of the finding today.

Ironically enough, Helenius was in the fight with Joshua serving as a late replacement since original opponent Dillian Whyte also tested positive for a banned substance leading into the fight, nixing his opportunity.

All in all, whether or not Helenius was intentionally doping, it was a false positive, or whatever, it certainly didn’t help him in the ring against Joshua. That said, there’s become a disturbing trend with a number of fights taking place, only for it to be revealed that a fighter tested dirty after the fact. That sort of defeats the purpose of the testing and touting fighter safety.