Facts about Zhilei Zhang
Zhang Zhilei (24-1-1, 19KO) is a Chinese boxer best known for winning a silver medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.
He is now coming back to London, for the first time as a professional, to face a "Juggernaut" in Joe Joyce on April 15th, where the heavyweight pair will clash for the WBO Interim title over 12 rounds at the Copper Box Arena, live on BT Sport.
It was over 10 years ago when Zhang last boxed in England, so here are some quick facts about the Chinese combatant for fight fans to get to know him better ahead of his UK pro debut:
Zhilei Zhang was born May 2nd, 1983, in Zhoukou, Henan, China, and is currently 39-years-old.
As of March 2021, Zhang resides in Bloomfield, New Jersey, America, where he trains in Paterson with trainer Shaun George, who was an NABA cruiserweight champion active between 2000-2010.
His boxing nickname is "Big Bang".
As a teenager, he first competed in canoeing and kayaking, but his coach introduced him to boxing after he became a bit too big for the boat.
His amateur record on BoxRec reads at 28-16.
Notable scalps inn the amateurs includes Joseph Parker; Andy Ruiz Jr.; Erik Pfeifer; Sergey Kuzmin.
He was beaten by these notable names: Roberto Cammarelle; Kubrat Pulev; Vyacheslav Glazkov; Anthony Joshua.
He is promoted by Eddie Hearn and Matchroom Boxing.
In February 2021, Zhang drew with journeyman Jerry Forrest on the undercard of the Canelo vs Yıldırım and was later revealed that Zhang was hospitalised after the fight with "anemia, high enzyme levels, and low-level renal failure that may have been caused by severe dehydration". He explained afterwards that he had dropped 8lbs in the 'Bubble' due to lack of food and water intake.
His sole professional career defeat was during an IBF Eliminator with undefeated Croatian Filip Hrgovic in August 2022, which many spectators believed to be a robbery.
He won the WBO Oriental heavyweight title in 2017 and defended it twice.
He is ranked WBO #13 / IBO #31 / BoxRec #29.
Roll of Honour
2004 Asian Championships Super-heavyweight bronze medal
2004 World University Boxing Championships runner-up
2007 Asian Championships Super-heavyweight silver medal
2007 World Championships bronze medal
2008 Beijng Olympic silver medal
2009 World Championships bronze medal
2009 Asian Championships Super-heavyweight gold medal
2010 Asian Games gold medal
2011 Asian Championships Super-heavyweight bronze medal
2012 London Olympics quarter-finalist
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