There’s one picture that sums Russian giant Evgeny Orlov’s, 38, fighting style against the Finnish heavyweight boxer, Robert Helenius, 33, at the Kalev Sports Hall in Tallinn, Estonia on Saturday:
Evgeny “Molecule From Hell” Orlov should have been called “The Headbutt From Hell” based on his way of striking with his head against Robert Helenius at the Kalev Sports Hall in Tallinn, Estonia on Saturday, June 17, 2017. Picture: Tony Öhberg for Finland Today
At first, I was not absolutely sure whether Orlov managed to hit Helenius with a single clean punch, so I went through my pictures until the beginning of the seventh round, when Orlov’s team threw in the towel.
He didn’t.
Instead Orlov liked to headbutt, hang around the neck and sneak in nasty shovel hooks to the face and body.
Helenius takes home the vacant WBC International Silver heavyweight title. For Helenius, the win is his 25th. Picture: Tony Öhberg for Finland Today
“It takes a lot of strength to fight against a man who weighs over 138 kilos and likes to hang by the neck,” said Helenius (108.7 kilos), after the fight in an interview for Finland Today. “At times, it made me really mad, other times it made me a bit lazy, but I shouldn’t have joined his wrestling game.”
Helenius lands a heavy uppercut to Orlov’s face. Picture: Tony Öhberg for Finland Today
At times, in fact many times to be precise, Helenius belted Orlov with furious hooks to the ribs. In the fourth, Helenius hit Orlov in the ribs with a left hook so hard that he had to step back and lean on the ropes, while gasping for breath.
The power of Helenius’ left hook lifts him in the air. Picture: Tony Öhberg for Finland Today
Orlov was surprisingly tough, though. He took the punches with a grunt while his body fat jiggled. But he was too slow to hit Helenius, who evaded his sloppy hooks with ease.
“I was well prepared to fight for 10 rounds. My last two fights lasted only about 40 seconds, so I was happy to get in some rounds,” Helenius said. “Now I will take a summer break and start preparing for whoever steps in to the ring against me next.”
