On Facebook
On Flipboard
On Twitter
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
More must-reads:
- WNBA All-Star Game ratings paint a troubling picture
- Matthew Stafford news highlights potential need for Rams
- The 'NBA all-time 50-point game leaders' quiz
Breaking News
Trending News
Customize Your Newsletter
+
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!
TODAY'S BEST
WNBA All-Star Game ratings paint a troubling picture
WNBA players sent a message to the league with T-shirts they wore ahead of the All-Star Game on Saturday night, but the ratings for the game did not exactly strengthen their stance. Prior to the All-Star Game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Ind., Caitlin Clark and other players warmed up in shirts that said “Pay us what you owe us” across the front. The message had to do with the current state of collective bargaining agreement negotiations between the WNBA and WNBA Player’s Association. Unfortunately for the players, the television ratings for the game were not very good. Ryan Glasspiegel of Front Office Sports reported on Tuesday that the WNBA All-Star Game drew 2.19 million viewers on ABC, which was down roughly 36% from a year ago. Last year’s game featured the WNBA All-Stars against the Team USA squad that was preparing to compete in the Summer Olympics in Paris. The dip in ratings is likely another example of the type of impact Clark has had on the WNBA. Although she was a team captain for this year’s All-Star Game, Clark did not play due to a groin injury. Clark played in last year’s game for the All-Star side, as she did not make the Team USA Olympic roster. Many fans were outraged that she was snubbed from the Olympic team, which added an element of intrigue to the All-Star Game. There is no way of knowing for certain whether more fans would have watched the All-Star Game on Saturday night had Clark played. It is a safe guess, however, especially when you look at some recent trends for the league.
The Phillies need to replace this struggling bat at the deadline
Another year, another shot at a championship. Since their last World Series appearance in 2022, a match in which they lost, the Philadelphia Phillies have slid backwards, falling in the NLCS in 2023 and the NLDS in 2024. This year, the Phillies are back on top of the NL East, holding a slim half-game lead over the New York Mets entering Tuesday. Still, their season has been far from spotless. The Phillies have gone through immeasurable difficulties from the bullpen without Jeff Hoffman (signed with Blue Jays), Carlos Estevez (signed with Royals) or Jose Alvarado (PED suspension), especially with Jordan Romano’s descent into the dumpster fire. But with new free-agent signing David Robertson in tow, we can expect some degree of stability from the relief corps going forward — though, not to insinuate that team president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski is done adding bullpen arms. Another sore spot that received plenty of attention the past few months is in the outfield, left field in particular. Among all qualifying left fielders, Max Kepler maintains the second lowest OPS. Much has been made about potentially replacing him, but as bad as he’s been, there is one Philadelphia infielder that has done even worse. Once a promising bat, second baseman Bryson Stott seems to be reaching rock bottom. Below, you can his stats in comparison to that of Kepler’s: (wRC+: weighted runs created plus represents the culmination of a hitter’s offensive achievements where a value of 100 is MLB’s average) Stott has been more proficient than Kepler at recording hits, but Kepler’s power and higher walk rate gives him the edge in overall offensive stats. It was only in 2023, his second year of MLB action, when Stott hit .280/.329/.414 with 15 home runs. Unfortunately, Stott’s productivity began to slide last season. This year, his slump halted in April when he hit .314 on the month, but it quickly resumed in May (.216), worsened in June (.202) and has reached a fever-pitch in July (.132). If the Phillies are going to claw their way back to the Fall Classic, it may be better if Stott’s bat isn’t in the lineup.
Chicago Blackhawks reportedly set to trade 25-year-old goaltender to Stars rival, Edmonton Oilers
Kelsey Plum takes shot at Caitlin Clark after WNBA All-Star Game
On Saturday night, Kelsey Plum was part of Team Collier's 151-131 win over Team Clark in the WNBA All-Star Game, scoring 16 points, grabbing five rebounds and dishing out three assists. Following the game, the Los Angeles Sparks star was asked about WNBA All-Stars wearing shirts before the game that read, "Pay Us What You Owe Us." Specifically, Plum was asked about how that idea came together. "The T-shirt — just a united front," she said. "That was determined this morning, that we had a meeting for. Not to tattletale, but zero members of Team Clark were very present for that." Plum said it with a chuckle. However, she was sitting next to New York Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu, who rolled her eyes and said, "Didn't really need to be mentioned" before laughing. It was awkward, especially because Caitlin Clark, as well as all of the members of Team Clark, wore the shirts. If Clark didn't wear the shirt, you could understand some backlash. But she did. It should also be noted that Team Collier featured the president of the WNBA Players Association, Nneka Ogwumike, as well as the first vice president, Plum, and two vice presidents, Napheesa Collier and Brenna Stewart. It makes sense if they took on greater leadership roles in a statement like this against the league. Whether Plum likes it or not, the reason the WNBA has any sort of leverage heading into these negotiations with the league is Clark. She would do well to remember that the next time she wants to take an unnecessary shot at Clark, who is responsible for the greatest surge in fan attention the WNBA has ever seen.
Maple Leafs are reportedly looking to make a splash trade
With the Toronto Maple Leafs losing star Mitch Marner this offseason, the team has had to fill a massive hole in the lineup. The Toronto front office has done a decent job so far, and the roster looks a little more well-rounded. But it seems that the Maple Leafs may not be done making moves this summer. According to NHL insider Nick Kypreos of SportsNet, Toronto could trade away defensemen Morgan Rielly or Brandon Carlo in an attempt to add more offense. "While we do also have Morgan Rielly on this list, if the Leafs move a defenseman it'll likely only be one of them. But while Rielly comes with the complication of a no-movement clause, Brandon Carlo has just an eight-team no-trade list and so is also worth putting on the trade board. "Making $3.485M against the cap for another two years, Carlo was a welcome addition to the Leafs' defense corps, averaging 19:13 of ice time per game and nearly two minutes on the PK. In the playoffs, he was among the team's shot-blocking leaders," Kypreos wrote. Marner accounted for 27 goals and 75 assists last season, which will be very tough for the Maple Leafs to replace. But the team does have a limited number of tradable assets to work with, which could potentially be why they are thinking of trading a defender. The Toronto front office remains very active on the trade front and it could lead to a deal taking place. There is still plenty of time left between now and the start of the regular season, giving the Maple Leafs some needed optionality before the new year.
PRIVACY POLICY EDITORIAL POLICY CONTACT US
ABOUT YARDBARKER TERMS OF SERVICE
Use of this website (including any and all parts and
components) constitutes your acceptance of these
Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
This site is for entertainment purposes only.
There is no gambling offered on this site.
Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-Gambler.
