Zhilei Zhang vs Deontay Wilder Preview

Thirty-eight-year-old men generally don’t have a turnaround epiphany, and if they are an athlete like Deontay “The Bronze Bomber” Wilder (43-3-1, 42 KOs), become something new, like a jabbing machine. Perhaps you were hearing claims of this being a “new” Deontay, or a better refurbished one, who will be using boxing skills in Riyadh to get the job done versus massive Zhilei “Big Bang” Zhang (26-2-1, 21 KOs) Saturday night. Well, may I offer you a portion of ownership in the Brooklyn Bridge? We can split it.

Deontay Wilder is on the hard downside, being that he comes in off a loss in Riyadh in December, his last outing. And he has been waiting to detonate the big one, making “volume” a dirty word forever.

If you are a Zhang fan and need another reason to back your guy, you may have heard that Wilder, 1-3 in his last four, has said this might be his last fight. I’d bet a few bucks if I were a gambler on him being right because once you start talking retirement, well, you’ve opened a door and stuck one foot in.

I think back to “glory” days, Wilder on the ascent, plying the trade at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. He would be Al Haymons’ heavyweight hurrah to help make the whole Haymon era a success, even if “Free TV” didn’t lift off. Wins over Artuz Szpilka and Bermane Stiverne helped build the Wilder aura. Then came the aura diminishment–the Dec. 2018 draw with Tyson Fury, two build-im-back wins against Dominic Breazeal and old man Ortiz. Hardest puncher ever made, some said, in this time frame.

The show must go on and does, though, until the attraction is ready to be relegated. A rubout of Robert Helenius, stopped now three times since 2018, brought him the Parker fight, and that didn’t go well. He’s kinda sorta already been relegated, as this is sort of a “B side” “megacard.”

Zhang holds some cards here. More if he comes to Riyadh trimmer than he was last time out, a majority decision loss to Parker. Zhang, to me, looks better, crucially moves better, and gets better angles, when he is not in the 290s. He’s likely not getting back to the 250s (he was 256 for Jerry Forrest on 2-27-21), and OK, he had stamina issues then.  At 277 for Filip Hrgovic, Zhang had a good outing, even though he took the short end of the judges’ stick. A worrisome note-Zhang was 278 for Joe Joyce on April 15, 2023, 287 for the rematch on September 23, 2023, and a bit more for Parker.

My GUESS is team Zhang knows that better mobility is needed, because the lefty Zhang will need to be aware of the Wilder right hand, same as every Wilder foe before that. Y’all know that Zhang is an Olympian. Uh-huh, a 2008 Olympian. The man is 41, so he too is pretty set in stone as to his skill set and arsenal. I think his arsenal is suited to send Wilder to the hammock. Accuracy will be key, and as long as Zhang keeps moving smartly, he should be able to see what Wilder is throwing, avoid, and make him pay.

MY PICK: Zhang to stop Wilder. No worries for the Bronze Bomber, if he’s to get that gold watch….he will likely not have to work as an exit door checker at Walmart.

Michael Woods

Michael Woods got addicted to boxing in 1990, when Buster Douglas shocked the world with his demolition of the then-impregnable Mike Tyson. The Brooklyn-based journalist has covered the sport since for ESPN The Magazine, ESPN.com, Bad Left Hook and RING. His journalism career started with NY Newsday in 1999. Michael Woods is also an accomplished blow by blow and color man, having done work for Top Rank, DiBella Entertainment, EPIX, and for Facebook Fightnight Live, since 2017.

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