Despite recent news that the undisputed title fight between Tyson Fury & Oleksandr Usyk has been postponed, the heavyweight division has witnessed a rise in popularity it hasn’t seen in years. Although the current crop is much older, many between 35 & 40 years of age, it’s the personalities that are gaining the attention of boxing fans and casuals. Right now, the eyes are on the interim WBO heavyweight champion Zhilei ‘Big Bang’ Zhang (26-1-1, 21 KOs).
Zhang is one of many heavyweights who will be participating in events hosted by the Saudis as they continue to settle into the boxing world. On March 8, former unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua takes on former UFC champion Francis Ngannou, with the co-main featuring Zhang facing Joseph Parker. In the last event hosted by the Saudis in December, Parker earned an upset decision victory over Deontay Wilder, leading to this fight with Zhang.
Although Zhang wasn’t part of the December event, he was carefully watching to see who he could potentially face after a stellar 2023 with two consecutive, dominant wins over Joe Joyce. Zhang was all but written off when he lost to Filip Hrgovic in 2022, but did not allow the loss to make him. He worked hard to rebound, which showed in the two Joyce fights.
Was the 40-year-old surprised that his performances led to such a spike in popularity? Zhang stated: “I wasn’t really surprised as I was prepared for this moment throughout my career. I would like to thank Joe Joyce and his team for allowing me to showcase my skills and prove myself. I would also like to thank all the fans worldwide, especially those in China, as it’s been a sensational year. I made the Chinese fans proud, and I look forward to 2024.”
Zhang has the attention of fight fans, but more importantly, he has made his presence felt within the heavyweight division. When asked about Zhang, WBC champion Fury went from a joking mood to a very serious one and noted how dangerous he is. Zhang has had difficulty getting the big names, as they see him as more risk than reward. However, with the Saudis wanting big fights, this is an opportunity to finally showcase those skills at the biggest stages.
Zhang takes the approach of being humble and confident when he sees his peers blatantly bypassing him. “To be honest with you, I have the recognition I deserve right now, and I appreciate that,” Zhang told FightsATW. “The top fighters out there, I can’t say they are scared of me, but when my name is brought up, they think twice,” said the 40-year-old heavyweight with a huge grin.
Zhang also has a playful side, which he often displays on Instagram, taking shots at the heavyweights in the division. More recently, during the Day of Reckoning, he famously said, “Not impressed.” He’s a fan of the event that was put together but not so much how the fighters (which included Wilder, Parker, Joshua, and Otto Wallin) performed that night.
With his popularity rising in boxing, social media, and his home country of China—where 65 million people tuned in to his last fight, Zhang has become a cross-over attraction. Whether it is sitting courtside at a Brooklyn Nets game or having Shaquille O’Neal go out of his way to meet him, Zhang is a hit, as they say.
Even with all the newfound success, he stays humble to his roots and knows that you are only as good as your next fight, so he is not overlooking Parker. “He is a warrior,” Zhang said about his opponent. “Parker is young, fast, durable, and most importantly, hungry. After he lost to Joe Joyce, we saw him win four in a row, which was really impressive. For me to be grounded, I look at my footsteps and pay attention to the details in the gym. That’s how I do it. Right now, my team and I only have one focus: Joseph Parker. The only thing I want to do is keep perfecting myself.”
Zhang is currently in New Jersey, where his training camp is being held. He understands the importance of staying sharp and ready, which means a consistent rhythm during camp.
“For me, training camp has always been about staying consistent. I took one month off after the Joe Joyce rematch. I went to China to take care of some obligations, but when I got back, I started to train immediately. The point is that I have to stay in shape in order for me to be in shape. The most important part of training camp is that I don’t rush things; we do it one step at a time.”
Zhang wants to put on the best performances possible, and his activity has shown that he’s getting better as he ages, which is the opposite of what one expects. But as the old saying goes, activity matters.
On March 8, we will either see Zhang coming out victorious, almost guaranteeing an even bigger next fight, or Parker continuing to ride this wave of momentum he is on. It’s heavyweight boxing, so anything can happen. Tune in to see how this one plays out.
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