Zhāng Zhìlěi vs. Deontay Leshun Wilder

With the exception of Joyce, not a lot

 

That's what people said in each of Wilder's and Zhang's last fights, at least Zhang got that one knockdown on Parker. Zhang will gas after the 4th round, and if Wilder's still on his ayahuasca high he'll throw nothing the whole fight. It'll either be a KO or the audience will be the one's sleeping, nothing in between.

 

Actually, I think the money being paid for the fights in Saudi Arabia is too big to pass up.

 

He has no belts to lose as well.

 

Not a whole lot of Phar Lap references seen on this side of the globe. Well done.

 

This is a great contender fight to decide who goes and who stays. Both are old and lost recently to Parker who seemed to be finished after losing to Joyce. Both have a lot to prove and a lot of fire power.

I feel Zhang is the easy pick for many given his better performance vs Parker, many feel he beat Hrgovic and he is a more well rounded fighter. Also, Ortiz from his southpaw stance was a tough fight for Wilder who lost more rounds but got the KO. Zhang has size, hand speed, power and punch variety. He also appears to be pretty durable. His Achilles heel is stamina and work rate

Wilder for me would have been a favorite up until he lost to Parker, now I'm not so sure what he has left. He was dropped by Fury several times in two fights and his power seems to have diminished with Fury taking his best and Parker never really being phased. I think Fury and Parker did good because they brought the fight to Wilder. Wilder did good in the first Fury fight when Fury fought cautiously and he was able to stop Ortiz who seemed more inclined to counter than press his advantage. Zhang can play with his food and not push the stoppage and this might allow Wilder to survive. Wilder to me has regressed since the first Fury fight with splashes of success in the third Fury fight he has not been the same. He took two nasty beatings from Fury and seemed like he had no ability or desire to pull the trigger vs Parker.

I have a feeling with his height, reach and power he might deter Zhang enough from storming the gates. If Wilder can survive he may be able to win down the stretch but he has not shown this ability to box since he fired Breland. I can envision Zhang putting him down early and ending the show or gassing and losing a cautious boring decision

 

You honestly think this goes 12? You're good my man.

 

It's hard to read too much into the Parker fight. Wilder was always going to struggle against good boxers if he couldn't knock them out.

 

Zhang was always overrated and is old af.. dude drew with a guy Big Baby Anderson knocked out in 2 rounds. Parker's level is the guy who got his ass kicked by Whyte and Joe Joyce.

 

I get it. I wonder why they do it. Interested to find out.