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| Zhilei Zhang scored a fifth-round TKO win over Deontay Wilder, who said before the fight that a loss could mean "the final goodby |
Zhilei Zhang scored the biggest win of his career Saturday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, potentially ending former heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder's run in the process.
China's Zhang, 41, connected with a perfectly timed counter right hook that left Wilder dazed. With Wilder defenseless, Zhang (27-2-1, 21 KOs) charged in and landed another powerful right hand, sending the American hard to the canvas.
Wilder, 38, managed to get to his feet before the count of 10, but his legs were unsteady, prompting the referee to wisely stop the fight at 1:51 of Round 5.
"I blocked a few punches, but hell yeah, he punches hard," Zhang said of Wilder (43-4-1, 42 KOs), speaking through an interpreter. Wilder is regarded as one of the most powerful punchers in heavyweight history. "I give him a lot of respect. He's a heavy puncher. ... I successfully took his right hand away."
Wilder has now lost four of his past five fights, including a decision defeat to Joseph Parker in December and two losses to Tyson Fury in their heavyweight championship trilogy. Before the fight, Wilder hinted that a loss could mark "the final goodbye, the farewell of Deontay Wilder."
Zhang, too, was recovering from a decision defeat to Parker, the former heavyweight titleholder. Zhang floored Parker twice in March but still lost on the scorecards.
### Rewrite 1:
Now, Zhang is back on what he calls the "road to the champion." That champion is currently Oleksandr Usyk, who defeated Fury last month in Riyadh for the undisputed championship.
Zhang closed as the -150 favorite against Wilder, according to ESPN BET. He is ESPN's No. 6 heavyweight, while Wilder entered the ring at No. 7. Zhang previously won a silver medal as a super heavyweight at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, whereas Wilder claimed bronze in the heavyweight division.
Rewrite 2:
They appeared to be in different weight classes on Saturday, as Zhang outweighed Wilder by 68.2 pounds—coming in at 282.8 compared to Wilder's 214.6. In boxing's heavyweight division, there is no weight limit.
Zhang used his size advantage to overpower Wilder and pin him against the ropes. As a southpaw, Zhang repeatedly landed right hooks while Wilder, known for his powerful right hand, struggled to release it effectively.
In Round 5, Zhang finally unleashed his most potent strikes. Wilder had just landed a chopping right hand when he threw another right, which Zhang countered for the decisive finish.
The victory marked a complete triumph for Frank Warren's Queensberry Promotions over rival U.K. promoter Eddie Hearn's Matchroom Boxing in a unique 5 vs. 5 team competition devised by Turki Alalshikh, the chairman of Saudi Arabia's General Entertainment Authority.
Following Zhang's TKO win, Alalshikh presented Warren with a substantial check worth $3 million.
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