After a late start in the pro ranks, China’s Zhilei Zhang has finally enjoyed consistent activity at the very top level of the heavyweight division.
After a controversial loss to Filip Hrgovic in 2022 – a career first – Zhang bounced back with two statement stoppages over Joe Joyce, dashing the Brit’s title hopes and catapulting himself to number one contender status.
The ‘Big Bang’ train would be derailed with a points loss to Joseph Parker in March of this year, but a quick return and KO of Deontay Wilder – potentially a career-ending result for the American – keeps momentum on Zhang’s side at 40-years-old.
Parker recently spoke to the New Zealand Herald and revealed that – despite both men in the running for a potential Anthony Joshua fight in September – he was preparing for a Zhang rematch.
“At the moment I’m preparing for Zhang because that’s what I’m contracted for but it depends on what Saudi Arabia and Turki Alalshikh wants. I was told September, now, hopefully, October and hopefully we can lock in an opponent so we can start taking it down to what we need to do for a certain fighter and style.”
Parker touched the canvas in both rounds three and eight, but rallied and took advantage of a fading Zhang down the stretch to score a majority decision on the cards.
He said he is working on ‘minimising the weight gap’ for the second instalment.
“The first fight was tough. Zhang ‘the big bang’ can bang. The biggest difference between us in the first fight was weight. I was 113kg, he was 133kg. Now I’m here in New Zealand with George [Lockhart] we’re building to be bigger, faster, stronger and still having the best conditioning. We’re going to minimise that gap if it is Zhang again.”
‘Big Bangs’s fifth round stoppage of Wilder will have him as confident as ever when he next steps through the ropes, but a second loss to Parker puts his world title hopes back on the ropes.
