Deontay Wilder believes Zhilei Zhang is going to be a great person to make a statement against
Former WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder (43-3-1, 42KO) has looked ahead to his upcoming showdown with Zhilei Zhang (26-2-1, 21KO), as he seeks to bounce back from his shock defeat back in December.
Wilder lost to a second opponent of his career when Joseph Parker dominated and outboxed him on the ‘Day of Reckoning’ card, costing ‘The Bronze Bomber’ his long-awaited, lucrative shot at arch-nemesis, Anthony Joshua.
As a result, many feel as thought the American’s time at the peak of the division has come to a close, but Wilder has instead opted to take on the division’s ‘most unwanted fighter’, rather than hanging up the gloves.
Meanwhile, ‘Big Bang’ Zhang also fell victim to a Parker upset, as he suffered defeat to the New Zealander last month and lost his WBO interim title as a result. However, rather than pursuing a rematch, the 40-year-old lefty has decided to tackle one of the hardest punchers of all-time in Wilder, as he too sets out to prove that he can still hang with the big boys.
Speaking to Queensberry, Wilder explained why he agreed to face Chinese powerhouse Zhang, believing it to be the perfect opportunity to prove that the Parker loss was nothing more than an off-night.
“With him having the pedigree that he has, the height, the ‘Big Bang’, the big punch, good technique, southpaw… all of that is amazing to me.
“It makes it an exciting fight and I think that he is going to be a great person to make a statement [against] with the calibre that he has, to allow and to show people that I am truly back.
“When I destroy him like I am going to do, it’s back to the top that I go.”
Wilder-Zhang will take place on the Beterbiev-Bivol and Matchroom versus Queensberry card in Saudi Arabia on June 1st.