Zhilei Zhang is one of the top contenders in the heavyweight division right now.
The towering Chinese heavyweight is on a good run of form and has been for a couple of years. Although he has a loss on his record to Joseph Parker, it was a close fight that saw him knock the New Zealander down in the mid-rounds.
Outside of that, he twice battered Joe Joyce, stopping the formerly unbeaten man inside the first half of both fights back in 2023. On top of that, Zhang also fought once fearsome American puncher and former WBC champion Deontay Wilder back in June 2024 and knocked him out inside five rounds.
A potential future opponent that has fans intrigued is heavyweight bogeyman Martin Bakole, who claims to have stopped Oleksandr Usyk and Daniel Dubois in sparring, branding himself the most avoided man in the division. After orders to fight both Zhang and Kabayel fell through, Bakole will fight Efe Ajagba this year in an IBF final eliminator for the mandatory position for Dubois’ title.
Speaking to iFL TV, Bakole expressed his disappointment in both Zhang and Kabayel for not facing him and instead fighting each other.
“I’m disappointed by ‘Big Zhang’ and [Agit] Kabayel. I was supposed to fight ‘Big Zhang’ or Kabayel but I’m not surprised they’re scared, I’m not surprised they are fighting each other in Riyadh Season.”
‘Big Bang’ and unbeaten Kabayel will instead compete on the stacked February 22 Riyadh Season card, with the winner coming away the proud owner of the WBC Interim Heavyweight World Title and a good claim to face unified champion Oleksandr Usyk should he continue to fight on.
