As if Zhilei Zhang wasn’t already intimidating—as if being 6′ 6″ with Thanos-like fists didn’t make your knees rattle, as if back-to-back knockout wins last year over granite-chinned Brit Joe Joyce weren’t enough—on this particular mid-November afternoon, inside a nondescript gun range in northern New Jersey, Zhang has his fingers wrapped around a Sig Sauer P365 XL. Guns, Zhang insists, were never his thing. His trainer, Shaun George, introduced him to recreational shooting a few years ago; Kurt Li, his co-manager, translator and, it turned out, part-time range safety officer, showed him the ropes. The first time he pulled a trigger, his hands trembled.
I think Wilder could have continued but Zhang would have likely clipped him again, and even if he could have escaped the round, he doesn’t look right in there. His equilibrium is off, and he seems lost. He doesn’t need to be getting hit anymore.
I immediately started flailing and throwing a bunch of punches and he covered up. I’m punching him and slugging him and then suddenly he slips by me and goes boom and hits me right in the stomach. I was trying desperately to breathe, but all I could do was throw up. It was just horrible shit.
When he moved to the United States on March 8, 2014, he had to manage and self-finance aspects of his life which had previously been handled by the Henan Provincial Combat and Weightlifting Center. Cooking for himself was the biggest challenge of his early days in the US. In his first few months as a professional, he spent more time learning how to properly cook noodles than he did working in the ring.
Frank Warren (born 28 February 1952) is an English boxing manager and promoter. Warren and his son George own and run Queensberry Promotions. Warren was also a founder of the British boxing television channel BoxNation which ran for over 11 years from 2012.
With pockets of travelling fans waving China flags scattered around the arena, Zhang made his entrance. The 2008 Olympic silver medallist became an even bigger star in his home country after beating Joyce first time around.
The home fighter was stunned, looking helplessly at his team. He once again came unstuck against the hard-hitting southpaw, and looked a shadow of the fighter who knocked out 14 of his first 15 opponents.
In a recent interview on Twitter Space (now known as X), Turki Alalshikh expressed his desire to see Zhang face Bakole in China this December. This proposed bout is seen as a more exciting option compared to a potential rematch between Zhang and Joseph Parker, which has been promoted by Frank Warren. While Parker is a credible opponent, having previously defeated Zhang, many fans and analysts found their first fight to be lackluster, and there is little enthusiasm for a rematch.
After winning third place in the unlimited weight class in boxing in the 2001 National Games of China, he was called in as a sparring partner for the Chinese national boxing team in 2002. In 2003, he lost 22:8 in the first round of the 2003 World Amateur Boxing Championships to Grzegorz Kiełsa. At the 2004 World University Boxing Championships, he lost in the final to Rustam Saidov. Zhang enrolled at Zhengzhou University in 2005 and graduated in 2009 majoring in sports training. At the 2005 World Amateur Boxing Championships in China, he beat Vugar Alekperov 20:11 before losing to eventual champion Odlanier Solis (17:7).
The short answer to what a heavyweight boxer eats is, well, everything. Steak, chicken, different kinds of fish. During a recent visit to Jiang Nan, a Chinese-fusion joint Zhang frequents in Montclair, N.J., a plate filled with flat, oval-shaped meat arrives at the table. George slides a piece between a pair of chopsticks and asks Zhang to identify it. He always asks. In China, George was often offered food he couldn’t identify. Horse. Bull penis. Snake blood. “Cow tongue,” says Zhang. The chopsticks drop. “Nope,” says George. “Not eating that.”
O.K. So how is it that Zhang, 40 years old and more than a decade into his pro career, is suddenly one of boxing’s best big men? For that you have to go to George, a fringe cruiserweight who retired in 2009. At the urging of his manager—Duva’s father, Lou—George decided to get into training. Lou invited George to a U.S.–China national team dual meet in New York and pointed out Zhang. “Watch this guy,” he told George. “He’s going to be site here heavyweight champ.”
This victory solidified Zhang’s position as the leading contender in the WBO, with a potential clash against Usyk on the horizon. Usyk, aged 36, is expected to defend his belts against IBF mandatory challenger Filip Hrgovic 16-0, (13 KOs) next, but negotiations for a showdown with WBC champion Tyson Fury (33-0-1, 24 KOs) appear to be ongoing. Zhang is now solidly within the Top 4 Heavyweights in the world and his profile in China is skyrocketing.
Since his debut, Zhilei has worked hard to improve his skills, even though he embarked on professional boxing in his early 30s. It’s worth mentioning that his current record and gradual ascension towards greater achievements have drawn attention from people worldwide, especially those in his homeland, China, where he has become a national treasure.