Deontay Wilder faces his old sparring partner Robert Helenius in his comeback fight in New York tonight.
Wilder looks to put the Tyson Fury trilogy behind him as he returns to the boxing ring in New York this weekend.
Just over a year on from defeat in that third fight, Wilder faces Helenius, with victory setting the stage for a number of potentially huge fights in 2023.
The American finds himself in a group just below the very elite of the heavyweight division, with the likes of Anthony Joshua, Dillian Whyte and Andy Ruiz all possible opponents should he get past Helenius.
While questions remain over Wilder’s technical shortcomings, the huge power in his right hand so often makes up for that and keeps him in a fight regardless of how it is being scored on the cards.
It is the first time in more than eight years that the former WBC champion is in a fight with no world title on the line, so he will be looking for a statement display, and a 42nd professional win by knockout, to get things back on track.
Helenius has the experience of sharing the ring with Wilder plenty of times, though that is unlikely to be enough to close the gulf in ability. The 38-year-old has three losses on his record, one of those coming against Dillian Whyte.
Wilder has revealed he only intends to fight for three more years - he will be hoping this is the start of a charge back to the top table of the division.
How to watch Wilder vs Helenius
Live stream: Boxing fans in the UK can stream the card live on FITE TV for $14.99 (£13.37), with coverage getting underway at 2am BST. In the USA, Fox Sports will broadcast the card at a price of $74.99.
