In a battle between two knockout artists, Zhilei Zhang came home first, defeating former WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder via KO in the fifth round.
Neither fighter looked very impressive, but it was a particularly bad night for Wilder, who looked tentative once again as commentators speculated whether his career was coming to an end. Both fighters seemed fully aware of each other’s strength, but it was Zhang who had found his home.
Zhang clearly hurt Wilder in the second round, but he couldn’t finish it. The end came in surprising fashion, when Wilder let an errant right hook spin, leaving him vulnerable to a brutal blow to the face from his opponent.
And it was him.
This was a must-win bout for both fighters, and that leaves Wilder in an unenviable position. The former WBC champion has now lost four of his last five fights and has not looked the same since his loss to Tyson Fury. He has openly discussed retirement in the lead-up to this fight and that seems very possible at the moment.
Meanwhile, Chang manages to survive a stumble in the aftermath of his win over Joe Joyce. He lost to Joseph Parker by majority decision in March, but has now scored another major win at the age of 41.
Zhang’s win was part of Queensberry’s 5-on-5 sweep against Matchroom, where he won $3 million in Riyadh. Here’s how it all went live:
Live coverage has ended70 updates
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Result: Zhilei Zhang def. Deontay Wilder by KO at 1:51 of round five
Deontay Wilder vs. Chili Chang Fight card full results
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Heavyweight: Zhilei Zhang def. Deontay Wilder by KO at 1:51 of round five
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Heavyweight: Daniel Dubois defeated. Filip Hrjovic by TKO at 0:57 of round eight
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Light Heavyweight: Dmitry Bivol def. Malek was defeated by TKO at 2:06 of the sixth round
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Middleweight: Hamza Shiraz defeated. Austin Williams by TKO at 0:45 of round 11
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Featherweight: Nick Paul Dave. Ray Ford by split decision (115-113, 113-115, 115-113)
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Light Heavyweight: Willie Hutchinson def. Craig Richards by unanimous decision (116-112, 117-111, 119-109)
Barbara Kingsolver writes for Bjournal, covering news, politics, business, technology, sport, entertainment, and lifestyle. She focuses on clear, reliable reporting and useful information, helping readers stay informed about current events, emerging trends, and stories that matter.
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