Zhilei Zhang delivered a stunning knockout victory over Deontay Wilder in the fifth round during a remarkable event in Saudi Arabia on Saturday.
The event, hosted in Riyadh, featured a unique matchup between Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom and Frank Warren’s Queensberry, with each promoter assembling a five-man team.
Former world heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder, representing Matchroom as their captain, faced off against China’s Zhang.
Zhang delivered a knockout blow to Wilder at 1:51 of the fifth round during their heavyweight clash in Saudi Arabia, marking the American boxer’s fourth defeat in his last five fights – and potentially his final bout.
With a powerful right hook, Zhang sent Wilder spinning before delivering another devastating punch that folded the 38-year-old fighter.
Wilder had managed to land a few potent right hands earlier in the round, Zhang absorbed them before ultimately overpowering Wilder with his own decisive strike.
Although Wilder managed to beat the referee’s count, he appeared dazed and unsteady, prompting the fight to be stopped.
If this marked the end for Wilder, it was certainly a memorable exit – courtesy of the thunderous right hand of “Big Bang” Zhang.
Ahead of the match, Wilder had described it as a pivotal moment, hinting at the possibility of retirement. His demeanour reflected his words as he appeared shattered after being struck by two powerful right punches from Zhang in the fifth round, causing him to fall to the canvas.
Standing at 6-foot-6 and weighing in at 282 pounds, Zhang held a significant size advantage over Wilder, who weighed 214 pounds.
Prior to Zhang’s victory, Queensberry captain Hamzah Sheeraz secured a stoppage win against Austin Williams, while Daniel Dubois claimed victory over Filip Hrgovic by TKO.
Additionally, Nick Ball defeated WBA featherweight champion Ray Ford, and Willy Hutchinson outpointed Craig Richards, contributing to Queensberry’s commanding 10-0 victory.
Dubois’s win also earned him the IBF interim heavyweight title, potentially setting up a showdown with Anthony Joshua in September.
Dmitry Bivol retained the WBA light-heavyweight belt by stopping Malik Zinad in another notable bout on the card.
