Anthony Joshua fury as Brit comes out swinging over doping in boxing ahead of Robert Helenius fight
Anthony Joshua has ranted about doping in boxing ahead of Robert Helenius fight
PA
Anthony Joshua says boxing has a doping problem and is furious at always being scrutinised.
The 33-year-old will step into the ring to fight Robert Helenius on Saturday after Dillian Whyte was forced to withdraw from the battle.
And Joshua has now come out swinging, with the Brit unhappy at the scrutiny he faces compared to other fighters.
“There’s a doping problem in the sport definitely," he said.
Robert Helenius will go up against Anthony Joshua with boxing fight set for Saturday
PA
"I don’t really mix inside the boxing industry but I know it’s a problem.
“How can people get away with doping if you are getting random drug tests?
“I get drug tested all year round, every quarter I have to submit my whereabouts; where I am going to be, every day, for an hour of the day, so they can turn up randomly
“I have submitted that every day since 2011. So I don’t know why I am under this pressure but all these other boxers aren’t.
“It damages the sport. We lost the fight and nearly lost the card because of this situation.”
Joshua's rant comes after Whyte was forced to pull out of his fight with the Brit following adverse analytical findings in his Vada drugs tests.
Helenius has since stepped in to ensure a fight goes ahead.
Joshua hopes Whyte can prove his innocence. He added: “I don’t wish Dillian any bad but his reputation is tarnished.”
And he's also wary of the threat his new opponent poses.
“Helenius has two arms and is a good fighter, who won at the weekend.”
Joshua continued to let rip, also dragging Jarrel Miller into the argument.
Miller previously aimed digs at the 33-year-old but was caught taking a cocktail of steroids prior to their fight back in 2019.
Joshua said: “It’s funny the two people who accused me have popped dirty themselves.
“Maybe they did it because of my physique or my success, my rise, it maybe didn’t make sense to them but it’s God-gifted and a lot of hard work.
“I have a long history of being drug tested and sometimes you have to question the person who keeps pointing the finger.”
Upon learning of Whyte's test results, Joshua also insisted he 'wasn't surprised'.
“I got the news at 7am. My initial reaction was, ‘What’s next?’ I had two options — go ahead or cancel?
“Am I surprised? It happens in boxing, it’s not the first and won’t be the last.
"So no, I was not surprised.
“It is a dangerous sport but I am not disgusted. It doesn’t fill me with anger, no, but it’s not good.”
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
Anthony Joshua has stuck the knife into Dillian Whyte
PA
As for Helenius, the Finn made his own feelings on doping crystal clear.
“Anti-doping should be the same in every country," he stated.
“In your country when Dillian gets caught, everybody just thinks, ‘Oh, it’s boxing’ and nobody cares.
“In Finland, if I got caught I would be lynched for my whole life.”
You may like
