Deontay Wilder faces dangerous boxer Zhilei Zhang on Saturday evening in their 12-round heavyweight bout in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Two heavy hitting heavyweights meet in a 5 vs. 5 live on DAZN PPV at Kingdom Arena.
Most fans would agree that former WBC heavyweight champion Wilder (43-3-1, 42 KOs) will need to find his old killer skills to have any chance of winning against China’s two-time Olympian Zhang (26-2-1, 21 KOs). .
Deontay’s recent fights have shown a decline in his ability, and it doesn’t look like he’ll turn things around on Saturday night.
Unlike Wilder, the 40-year-old Zhang hasn’t changed his fighting style since turning pro in 2014, and he won’t hesitate to go for a first-round knockout.
The Shadow of His Former Self
Wilder’s ring record has been poor since 2020, with three losses and only one win against his former partner.
Wilder, who won a bronze medal at the 2008 Olympics, is still right-handed, but has been fighting like he’s out of ammunition lately, unable to fire that shot.
Deontay allowed the slow, no-punch Tyson Fury to anger him and hurt him into two submissions. If Wilder had prevented Fury from finding him like Oleksandr Usyk, he would have had a better chance of beating him. He fought badly and gave up two of his battles.
We saw the same thing with Wilder in his last fight, losing to Joseph Parker. He seemed afraid to throw punches and made some changes during the contest.
Wilder’s Knockout Power
Former WBC heavyweight champion Wilder (43-3-1, 42 KOs) has failed so many times over the past four years that it’s hard to give him much of a chance against Zhang (26-2-1, 21 KOs).
Deontay still has great power in his right hand, making him a threat against the slower, easy-hitting 270+ lb. Zhang. Wilder can win if he has the guts to throw his right hand and everything in it. Zhang was on the canvas in the 2012 Olympics after being cut by the 220+ lb smaller Anthony Joshua.
Zhang knows what to expect from Wilder because he only has a right hand in his offensive arsenal, but it doesn’t matter. If Wilder connects with a clean right hand, he can finish.
Prediction: Zhang’s wrath will prevail
I think Zhang will get the ‘W’ on Saturday night. Unlike Wilder, Zhang is not afraid to let go of his punches, and he has great power in both hands. They say Zhang runs out of gas and is safe after six rounds.
I don’t buy that. Zhang is still dangerous in all of his fights, and will be like a ticking bomb, ready to go off when it counts. Zhang knows that Wilder is vulnerable, scared, and has a weak chin.
From the start of the fight, Zhang will be attacking, throwing fences, looking to knock Wilder out in the first round.
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