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Zhilei Zhang has hit out at Anthony Joshua for ducking him.
Joshua had been linked with facing Zhang after the Brit lost to Oleksandr Usyk and before AJ faced Otto Wallin. Zhang had just secured consecutive stoppage wins over Joe Joyce. However, Joshua faced Wallin before taking on Ngannou. Meanwhile, Zhang lost to Joseph Parker only to stop Deontay Wilder in his last fight. Zhang has faced Joshua on one occasion.
They squared off in the 2012 London Olympics. Since then, their careers have gone in different directions. Joshua has become a two-time unified heavyweight champion. He is now targeting the IBF belt when he boxes Daniel Dubois on September 21, potentially making him a three-time world champion. While a fight between Zhang and Joshua could do massive numbers in China, the Chinese felt Joshua was avoiding him.
Zhang Reacts
Zhilei Zhang says Anthony Joshua won't fight ever him because Joshua knows what will happen.
— MMA Fighting (@MMAFighting) July 17, 2024
"Francis Ngannou from UFC, Robert Helenius… The way he picks his opponents says a lot about him.”
▶️ https://t.co/p8I8c97UVg #TheMMAHour pic.twitter.com/FIOecYzMwv
“Mark my words, he’s not fighting me. He’s not going to fight me, ever. Because after the 2012 Olympic Games, that was when we initially collided. After that, it’s been so many years. I was with Matchroom [Boxing] and I know what happened. I don’t think he’s ever going to fight me.
“My managers flew to London and I got words. So I don’t think he’s going to fight me. Look at his previous opponents. Francis Ngannou from the UFC, Robert Helenius — I don’t think he has what it takes to stand up against me. The way he picks his opponents says a lot about him,” Zhang said
Nevertheless, a fight with Zhang makes no sense for Joshua. It is a high-risk, low-reward fight. Zhang does not have any belts, nor does he have a mandatory position. Meanwhile, a win over Dubois makes Joshua mandatory for the winner of Usyk and Tyson Fury. That gives Joshua a shot at the Undisputed Heavyweight Title. He was close to winning all the belts when he was in talks with Deontay Wilder in 2018.
Will It Happen?
Wilder was the WBC champion at the time, the only belt Joshua did not have. Wilder’s team sent a $50 million offer. However, Joshua’s team had to accept the offer before sending a contract. The fight never got made, leaving Joshua to miss out on undisputed. AJ has said he wants to retire in the next two years, meaning it is vital that he makes the best fights. That leaves Zhang down the pecking order. But based on what he had seen, Zhang was clear that Joshua never wanted the fight.
“Neither does Eddie. They don’t want it. He’s a cash cow for Eddie. The closest time we had to getting the deal done was after AJ lost to Usyk and I lost to Filip Hrgovic in Saudi Arabia. My managers got an invitation, flew to London to talk to them, and got a no.
“I don’t know why. I don’t have a reason. That’s his problem. But if he ever wants to fight, I’m in. Maybe people say he’s back. He knocked out Ngannou in two rounds, he beat Robert Helenius, knocked him out, and he beat Jermaine Franklin, Otto Wallin. I can’t say he’s back until I meet him in the ring and test him with my fists,” Zhang stated
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