Zhilei Zhang and Deontay Wilder are close to reaching an agreement for a fight that will rock the boxing world on June 1st in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This heavyweight fight between two of the best punchers in the sport is expected to be the main event on the undercard of the much awaited undisputed light heavyweight championship fight between Dmitry Bivol and Artur Beterbiev.
Following their recent losses to Joseph Parker in the Riyadh tournament, both Wilder and Zhang are desperate for atonement. Their struggle to stay relevant in the very competitive heavyweight scene has gotten more intense as a result of these losses. Notably, Wilder’s loss ended expectations for a much anticipated rematch with Anthony Joshua, who went on to defeat Francis Ngannou with remarkable ease.
Both Zhang and Wilder are choosing a high-stakes battle over traditional comeback bouts, setting up the winner for a chance at another well-publicized heavyweight match. This calculated action follows closely behind the May 18th, Riyadh, fight between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk, which will decide the heavyweight champion.
Renowned for his powerful hitting power, Wilder has an amazing 43-3-1 record with 42 knockouts. Nevertheless, the native of Alabama has suffered defeats in three of his last four fights, including two failures against Fury during their championship trilogy. Despite his intimidating size and hitting power, 38-year-old Wilder is significantly heavier than the much larger Zhang, who weighed 213 pounds in his most recent fight.
On fight night, Zhang, who turns 41, will combine his impressive southpaw abilities with unusually high levels of mobility for his height. Zhang, who stands 6 feet 6 inches tall and weighed 291.5 pounds in his last fight, has an outstanding 26-2-1 record with 21 knockouts. He gained notoriety last year when he defeated Joe Joyce handily, displaying his knockout ability and fortitude in spite of a previous loss to Filip Hrgovic—a opponent he also managed to floor.
The next bout between Wilder and Zhang looks to be explosive and will set the stage for both fighters’ future pursuits in the brutal world of boxing. Both men are driven to restore their places at the top of the heavyweight class.
The Saudi’s know how to match make!
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