Chisora loses to Helenius

boxer Robert Helenius on Saturday night.
The 27-year-old Londoner appeared to shade the bout against the 6ft 7in Helenius – regarded by some as the best heavyweight outside of the Klitschko brothers – by staying the busier of the two.
He worked well on the body and was unfortunate to be warned by the referee for use of the head, with his only real downfall being a lack of clean punches to the face.
Helenius did less than that, failing to get through Chisora’ guard and struggling to impose his size upon the smaller fighter.
It mattered little at the final bell, though, with Helenius getting through 115-113, 115-113, 113-115.
Chisora was a man on a mission in Helsinki in a thrilling battle for the vacant European heavyweight title.
Chisora fought his way through twelve rounds, pressuring the prospect but lost on a split points decision to Helenius, who is now undefeated in 17 fights.
Chisora has now lost two from his 17 outings, and although the former British and Commonwealth champion insisted his world title ambitions would be scuppered if he lost, this was a fine performance.
It was a very close, hard-fought contest, away from home in front of 12 000 partisan supporters.
Chisora should have fought for a world title 12 months ago, when he was due to face Wladimir Klitschko, only for the Ukrainian to pull out three days before with an abdominal muscle problem.
Then another injury to saw the cancellation of a rearranged bout in April.
Chisora went on instead to defend his British and Commonwealth titles against Tyson Fury in July, came in overweight and was beaten on a wide unanimous decision. Chisora will come again.
Chisora had pressured the much taller 6ft 7ins tall Nordic Nightmare from the opening bell, but the Finn found his range, hurting Chisora and backing him up with two chopping right hands.
Helenius had some success himself with the left-hand lead and right cross in the second, yet Chisora replied with body shots of his own.
Chisora was warned constantly by the referee for jumping in with his head, piled on the pressure in the fourth and fifth rounds, burrowing into his opponent, pushing him backwards. The sixth round was a gripping war, as both men traded shots.
Helenius, 27, who has stoppage wins over three former world champions, may now go on to a world title shot.
It could be against Russian Alexander Povetkin, in the main event in Helsinki, making his first defence of the WBA heavyweight title against Cedric Boswell, of the United States. Povetkin, who won the superheavyweight gold medal at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, won the title by beating Ruslan Chagaev in August, after the WBA declared Klitschko its “super champion” for beating David Haye the previous month. – Guardian/Telegraph.