Zhilei Zhang achieved the most significant victory of his career on Saturday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, potentially ending former heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder's run in the process.
China's Zhang, 41, delivered a perfectly timed counter right hook that left Wilder dazed. With Wilder defenseless, Zhang (27-2-1, 21 KOs) charged in and landed another right hand that floored the American hard. Although Wilder, 38, managed to get to his feet before the count of 10, he was unsteady, prompting the referee to stop the fight at 1:51 of Round 5.
"I blocked a few punches, but hell yeah, he punches hard," Zhang said through an interpreter about Wilder (43-4-1, 42 KOs), 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 last five fights, including a decision defeat to Joseph Parker in December and two losses to Tyson Fury in their trilogy. Before the fight, Wilder hinted that a loss could signal his retirement.
Zhang, who was also coming off a decision loss to Parker, rebounded by declaring he was back on the "road to the champion," referring to current undisputed champion Oleksandr Usyk, who defeated Fury last month in Riyadh.
Zhang entered the fight as the -150 favorite according to ESPN BET. Ranked No. 6 by ESPN, Zhang outweighed the No. 7-ranked Wilder by 68.2 pounds—282.8 pounds compared to Wilder's 214.6 pounds. This significant size advantage allowed Zhang to dominate Wilder, frequently smothering him on the ropes. The southpaw's right hooks consistently landed as Wilder rarely unleashed his vaunted right hand.
In Round 5, Zhang capitalized on a counter opportunity to finish Wilder after the American had just connected with a chopping right hand. This victory not only showcased Zhang's power but also contributed to a clean sweep for Frank Warren's Queensberry Promotions, which competed against Eddie Hearn's Matchroom Boxing in a 5 vs. 5 team format created by Turki Alalshikh, the chairman of Saudi Arabia's General Entertainment Authority. Following Zhang's TKO win, Alalshikh presented Warren with a $3 million check.
Additionally, Daniel Dubois stopped Filip Hrgovic in Round 8 due to cuts, setting up a potential fight against former world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua at London's Wembley Stadium on September 21. Dubois (21-2, 20 KOs), 26, was dominating the fight before the stoppage, which was advised by the ringside doctor due to severe cuts over both of Hrgovic's eyes.
Hrgovic (17-1, 14 KOs), who had been waiting for a shot at the IBF title for two years, was overtaken by Dubois, who now moves on to face Joshua for the vacant IBF world heavyweight title. This victory marked Dubois' most significant career win and earned him the IBF interim title.
Hamzah Sheeraz also secured a middleweight world title shot with an 11th-round stoppage win over Austin Williams. Sheeraz (20-0, 16 KOs) dropped Williams in the 10th round and forced a stoppage early in the 11th, setting himself up for a shot at the WBC middleweight title.
Overall, the night highlighted several pivotal moments in heavyweight boxing, with significant implications for the future of the sport.
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