Zhilei Zhang: Unsung Power of A Southpaw

By Kunle Awosiyan

His first fight against Joe Joyce made me to fall in love with him. Zhilei Zhang is a more relaxed boxer in the ring who can beat any heavyweight of this era on his good day.

Currently the interim holder of the WBO since April this year, he had beaten Joyce twice in three months to retain the belt.

He is now challenging Tyson Fury for a WBC showdown. I think he can do it but Fury must first finish his battle with Francis Ngannou before he can pick a date with Zhang.

Yesterday night, Zhang showed how deadly he had grown and that his ranking as the fourth heavyweight by the Ring is not a joke.

A southpaw who knocked down big Joyce with a right hook should never be underrated. Zhang has got power in the two hands, making him so dangerous against any opponent.

Joyce did not have answers to Zhang’s questions as it was clearly revealed in the early rounds. The British was mindful of the Chinese left punch until a big right hook came from nowhere.

He never beat the counts. Down and out in round three. Joyce will have to go and queue now, having lost two matches consecutively in about three months.

It is a thing of joy that tactics and power are gradually returning to the heavyweight division. Zhang reminds me of Lennox Lewis by his deft piece of footwalk, skills and cleverness in the ring.

He is a calculative boxer and an unsung pugilist of the southpaw extinction. The world must watch out for this guy.