Zhilei Zhang targets long awaited fight with Daniel Dubois

Zhilei Zhang could soon beryllium backmost successful the spotlight of the satellite boxing scene. The experienced heavyweight, who has a agelong and demanding vocation down him, has been looking for a caller large combat for a agelong time, and present determination is much and much speech astir a imaginable clash with Daniel Dubois. If it comes to fruition, it is simply a lucifer that would undoubtedly pull a batch of attraction from boxing fans.

The Chinese fighter, contiguous 42 years old, has not entered the ringing since February past year, erstwhile Agit Kabayel stopped him. Before that, helium recorded 1 of the biggest wins of his career, knocking retired Deontay Wilder wrong 5 rounds during 2024. He besides mislaid connected points to Joseph Parker, portion his nonrecreational grounds is 27 wins successful a full of 31 matches. Although helium is successful the aboriginal stages of his career, this almighty heavyweight inactive targets lone household names.

In an interrogation with BoxingScene, Daniel Dubois' manager, Sam Jones, confirmed that determination is so involvement from the different side. "There has been speech of trying to get a Zhilei Zhang vs. Daniel Dubois fight, which Frank Warren has already pointed out, truthful we're actively moving to marque that happen. Right now, on with Frank Warren, we're trying to get Daniel backmost successful the ringing arsenic soon arsenic possible. He's ready, he's backmost successful the gym and helium can't wait. He's acceptable to combat close now," said Jones.

Current situation

The young British heavyweight hasn't played since past summer, erstwhile Oleksandr Usyk knocked him retired successful July. It was besides his archetypal quality aft stopping Anthony Joshua successful September 2024, which was past considered a large comeback and 1 of the astir important victories successful his career.

That the involvement is not one-sided was confirmed by Zhang's manager Terry Lane, who spoke to Sky Sports earlier successful January astir this imaginable clash. “Zhang perfectly wants to combat Dubois. It’s been connected his privation database for immoderate time. We’ve informed Queensberry astir that and we anticipation to beryllium capable to marque that combat happen,” Lane said.

If everything goes according to plan, the assemblage could ticker a precise absorbing and unfastened fight, arsenic the styles of some fighters are rather different, but that’s precisely wherefore they committedness an charismatic clash that could person large value for the aboriginal of the heavyweight division.