Zhang finished Wilder with a pair of big right hands in the fifth round to bounce back from his recent loss to Joseph Parker and retain his lead. Today we will discuss about Zhilei Zhang vs Deontay Wilder: What Happened,KNOCKED OUT.
Zhilei Zhang vs Deontay Wilder: What Happened,KNOCKED OUT
If it was for Deontay Wilder, he went out with a bang – a powerful right hand from “Big Bang” Zilei Zhang.
Zhang knocked out Wilder at 1:51 of the fifth round of their heavyweight bout in Saudi Arabia, handing the American boxer his fourth defeat in his last five fights – in what was probably his last fight.
Before the fight, Wilder called the bout a ‘make or break moment’ and entertained the possibility of retirement. He appeared to be broken when he was hit by two Zhang rights in the fifth round that sent him falling to the canvas.
The 6-foot-6 Zhang weighed 282 pounds, 68 pounds heavier than Wilder’s 214 pounds.
The proof was in the punch.
When Zhang delivered the knockout punch, it was with enormous force.
The 6-foot-7 Wilder landed some powerful right hands in the first round. But Zhang absorbed Wilder before he could finish him off.
Wilder hurt Zhang with a right hand and appeared to complain to the referee before the knockout punch was delivered. Wilder did not participate in in-ring interviews after the fight.
The 38-year-old Wilder fell to 43-4-1. The score of 41-year-old left-handed player Zhang of China became 27-2-1.
Wilder connects with a right. Moves with others. Here comes Wilder! Throwing thunder. Zhang retaliates and they grapple. Wilder freed the other one, and he looks like a different fighter now. Well, down he goes! Zhang defeated Wilder by right. Wilder doesn’t count.
Wilder runs away from Zhang, nearly falling to the canvas. These two may set the Compubox record for fewest punches thrown per round. To do this, you won’t need all your fingers and toes. Wilder threw the ball hard from the right, and Zhang countered with the left. Zhang 40, Wilder 36.
Zhang moves forward like a war carrier. Lands a left and Wilder already looks to be in trouble, looking for cover. Wonder what happened to Wilder’s electric right hand? Did they lose it at baggage claim.
What Happened
MMA Fighting has live round-by-round updates of Deontay Wilder vs. Zilai Zhang for Saturday’s boxing 5v5 showdown from the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The main event is expected to start around 6 pm. ET on DAZN pay-per-view. Check out our Wilder vs. Zhang results page to find out what happened on the undercard.
Wilder (43-3-1) is one of the most feared power-punchers of his era. A former WBC heavyweight champion, “The Bronze Bomber” won 42 of his 43 professional wins via knockout, but he has been going through a tough time lately. Wilder has lost three of his last four fights in 2020, with two losses to Tyson Fury and one to Joseph Parker by knockout over Robert Helenius. Another blowout came on Saturday and the 38-year-old Alabama native can finally call it a career for good.
Zhang (26-2-1) is the perennial wonder of the heavyweight division. The 41-year-old Chinese fighter, an Olympic silver medalist, captured the WBO interim heavyweight title with two wins over Joe Joyce in 2023, but ultimately vacated it following a majority decision loss to Parker last March. The only blemish on Zhang’s professional career was a loss to Filip Hrgovic in a 2022 decision. He would hold a massive 68.2 pound advantage over Wilder in the fight.
Get the Wilder vs. Zhang round-by-round live blog below:
Prefight: Well, Matchroom Boxing has been stuffed in a locker tonight. 4-0 for Queensberry, 8-0 in the points system.
Zhilei Zhang vs Deontay Wilder: What Happened,KNOCKED OUT
Zhang stepped out for “Eye of the Tiger” in gold trunks with black trim. His gloves are also gold, and he at least looks in good shape and motivated.
Wilder is decked out in black and gold, Roman-style trunks and a shiny black and gold face mask. The man there looks like a scorpion. go time.
Round 1: Zhang in southpaw, Wilder in orthodox. How long will it run? Zhang takes center first and backs Wilder into the corner. Both men began fighting and prepared to attack.
Wilder fires a right hand. Zhang to the left side of the body.
KNOCKED OUT
Wilder suddenly comes alive early in the fifth, and throws two wild right hands that send Zhang backwards. Both men take precautions. But as Wilder opens up again, Zhang catches him. Wilder is stunned and spun backwards by a lead right hook and then caught by Zhang with a free shot: a flush right hook that drops him onto the seat of his trunk. He manages to beat the 10-count but the referee intervenes almost immediately. it’s all over!
Zhang continues to support Wilder in various corners of the ring… and does nothing to the Alabaman once he gets there. Wilder is now range-finding with a right hand but doing nothing to trouble Zhang. Both fighters have been extremely cautious going into this and have not taken any risks. The passivity (so far) of this snoozer after Dubois-Hragovic has been put into stark contradiction.
Zhang continues to apply pressure, knocking Wilder down and defeating his American foe. Wilder throws a right hand but misses and is hit with a counter right that sends him back and to the side.
The pub-room theory that Wilder has emerged from the Fury Trilogy as a changed fighter has taken hold after just three rounds tonight. According to Compubox’s punch stats, he has landed only nine jabs in nine minutes so far.
Zhang struck first and appeared to hurt Wilder with an uppercut to the chest in the corner early in the round. But the American escapes immediate trouble and moves the action back to the center, where he scores with a one-two combination. Wilder just isn’t letting that right hand go. He’s timing the uppercut and right cross and waiting for the right moment that hasn’t come yet.
Zhang, whose 68lb advantage looks even more formidable under the lights, immediately backs Wilder into a corner, making up for the difference in size. This is giving heavyweight vs light heavyweight. Wilder’s claws are on the left side, his weapons-grade right side is tense.
