Who would take this battle of giants? I think Zhang would have beaten Willard and stop him even in the earlier rounds by TKO...
Willard is somewhat underrated, he wasn't the best but he had good enough technique and durability to beat Zhang ****ing Zhilei
Zhang beat Dychko, Andy Ruiz, and Joseph Parker in the ams. Willard wouldn’t pull that off in a million years. Zhang would put Williard to sleep early with those little 1910s gloves.
Willard I think was a bit better than he is given credit. not to boost dempsey, but he did train relentlessly for Willard and against guys like Bill Lang who were physically and stylistically similar. Dempsey's destruction of Willard was a practiced one and we shouldn't go off it alone to gauge Willard's abilities. Of course film is supreme in gauging a fighters abilities but I have to mention by most accounts that Willard was a decent boxer, with heart, and tremendous size. I think that's the most we can give him and I think it's plenty valid. Can he beat Zhilei? If he survives past 6 rounds its a near certainty Willard wins. He at least has the gas in the tank, and say what you will about Dempsey's power compared to Zhilei's but Dempsey knew how to put all his weight into a punch, I think I could at least say their power is comparable. If Zhilei tries to bomb out Willard early I can see him winning, but like I said if it goes past 6, I think Zhilei is gassed and Willard wins.
