Zhilei Zhang is one of a number of world class heavyweights who are trying to push themselves into positions to fight for a world title.
The Chinese fighter is now 42 years of age and enjoying something of an Indian summer to his career. He scored two impressive back-to-back stoppage wins over Brit Joe Joyce in 2023, fell short on points to Joseph Parker in March of this year but bounced back in style by stopping the once fearsome American puncher Deontay Wilder inside five rounds three months later.
With at least three of the four major belts tied up for now, Zhang will stay busy by fighting another top contender. Riyadh Season’s Turki Alalshikh had expressed interest in making that against Martin Bakole, but that is now officially off the table.
Speaking to Seconds Out, Bakole’s trainer Billy Nelson claims Zhang and his team have ‘run away.’
“We’ve already got Zhang to run away. He’s got his trainers with double knots in them, running. He’s in the distance now, we cannae see him for dust now. So we’ve had to go to alternative opponents cause Zhang said no thank you, or Zhang’s team.”
Nelson was then asked how frustrating that was but said they were well used to it.
“I’ve said to you before, and I’ve said it for years. They talk s***e. ‘I’ll fight anybody.’ ‘Fight Martin Bakole.’ ‘No.’ Mate, I could give you a top 10 that would shock you that have said no to a fight.”
Instead, Bakole, who last time out stopped American Jared Anderson and is now ranked Number 1 with the WBO, has a tougher opponent lined up.
“The next opponent is a harder fight for me than Zhang. Financially it will be very good but rankings-wise it’ll be fantastic. If the fight happens. He’s number one in one ranking and he’d become number one in another one.”
