Zhilei Zhang has made his case as one of the most dangerous heavyweights in the division.
The southpaw first appeared on the radar back in the 2008 Olympic Games when he won a silver medal but it was another decade before he was allowed to turn professional by the Chinese authorities.
He was 37 years of age by 2020 when he signed with Matchroom and his first notable fight came in 2021 when he beat Jerry Forrest.
Now 41, he has racked up three standout wins. The first two came last year when he stopped Joe Joyce in impressive fashion in back-to-back fights. Up to that point, Joyce had been building some fine momentum and looked immovable.
Following that, Zhang stepped in the ring with Joseph Parker and, despite having him down twice, he lost a close contest on points having tired in the later rounds.
It was in March this year that he put on perhaps his best showing with an emphatic fifth-round knockout of Deontay Wilder – potentially retiring the American.
He is currently ranked as the fifth-best heavyweight by Ring Magazine and is now looking to secure his next big fight.
Speaking to The Lowdown, promoter Frank Warren revealed that he will be back in action before the end of the year.
“We are working on a big fight for Big Bang, and we’re working very hard on it and I hope we’ll be in a position to make an announcement fairly soon but he’ll probably fight the end of October or November.”
Warren was asked whether the contest could be in China and hinted it could be the Parker rematch next for ‘Big Bang’.
“I’d like it to be, and he obviously has that rematch clause with Joe Parker, so it’s all happening.”
With all the belts currently tied up in fights towards the end of the year, a second coming together of these two big men looks most likely.
