Zhang Wants Deontay Wilder Next
Terry Lane, the co-manager for Zhilei Zhang, wants his fighter to take on Deontay Wilder.
Reports indicate that Zhang and Wilder are being considered for a bout on the headlining card of Anthony Joshua vs Francis Ngannou. That would give Wilder another opportunity to make up for the loss he experienced against Joseph Parker.
The Bronze Bomber came out second best, disrupting plans for an Anthony Joshua bout. As for Zhang, his confidence is riding high after stopping Joe Joyce in two consecutive fights. That put him as the WBO heavyweight interim champion in line to face the winner of Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk. Now, a win over Wilder would cap off a remarkable recent period. That is what Lane was hoping for, as per Chris Mannix.
Zhang Vs. Wilder
“I have been told that Zhilei Zhang will be on the undercard, most likely in the co-main event as reporter Chris Mannix confirmed as much. Zhang had a fantastic 2023. With two wins over Joe Joyce, he revived his career. At 40 years old, he is a top-five heavyweight.
“So, he put himself in this position, and now here he is, set to appear on this card in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Zhang wants all the smoke, and the guy that he and his team want is Deontay Wilder. I’ve been told that the people in Saudi Arabia, the dealmakers over there, they want that fight, too,” Chris Mannix said
It is unclear if Wilder would be willing to take on such a fight. Following his loss to Parker, picking up a win is more vital than ever. Zhang is a tricky southpaw who can knock out his opponents. He is also a lot bigger than Wilder, much like Tyson Fury, something which Wilder struggled to cope with.
Zhang On Wilder
Although that may be the case, Wilder’s right hand is tailor-made for Zhang. Zhang likes to come forward and break his opponents down. He may have quick hand speed, but Wilder is more explosive with his footwork. That could result in Zhang walking into Wilder’s right hand, making him an easy target. Following Zhang’s reaction to Wilder’s loss, he backed the heavyweight to come out on top.
“As a boxer, I can tell you it’s easy to fall. It’s harder to rise up. Deontay Wilder has been to the top. Right now, I would say he’s at the lower part of his career. It’s really hard to get back. He kind of fights the same way. He kind of depends on his right hand. Of course, he’s still a dangerous fighter and if that right hand lands on anybody, it’s going to cause problems. Rest first, make adjustments, then come back stronger,” Zhang stated
A few issues still need to be resolved if this fight is to go ahead. There are still question marks over whether Wilder will fight again following Parker’s loss. And at 38, he may not get another chance at getting a big fight.
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