Zhang Zhilei Weighs More Than Wilder; Fight Set for Sunday Morning

Earlier today, former WBO interim heavyweight champion Zhang Zhilei (26-2-1, 21 KOs) and former WBC heavyweight titlist Deontay Wilder (43-3-1, 42 KOs) faced off at the weigh-in ceremony in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The two are set to clash in a 12-round heavyweight bout early on Sunday morning, Beijing Time (around 6-7 AM), at the King’s Stadium. The official live broadcast by Douyin Sports will start around 3 AM on June 2.

Zhang weighed in at 282.8 pounds, nearly 9 pounds lighter than his weight against Joseph Parker (35-3, 23 KOs) earlier this year. Wilder came in at 214.6 pounds, a difference of 68.2 pounds from Zhang. Wilder weighed just 213 pounds in his December bout against Parker, deliberately shedding weight to enhance his speed after his encounters with Tyson Fury (34-1-1, 24 KOs). Currently, the odds favor Zhang at 1-2.

The 41-year-old Zhang, ranked ninth by BOXREC in the heavyweight division, boasts a professional record of 26 wins, two losses, and one draw, with 21 knockouts. Standing at 198 cm tall with an arm reach of 203 cm (or reported as 198 cm), he claimed the WBO interim title in 2023 with consecutive TKO/KO victories over British boxer Joe Joyce (16-2, 15 KOs). As an amateur, Zhang won a silver medal in the +91 kg category at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, and finally became a top-level heavyweight in 2023, somewhat late in his career.

In March, Zhang lost a close decision to former WBO champion Joseph Parker, with scores of 113-113, 112-114, and 111-115, surrendering his WBO interim title. Despite knocking Parker down twice, Zhang’s stamina waned in the later rounds, allowing Parker to rally. A similar scenario unfolded in August 2022 against Filip Hrgović (17-0, 14 KOs), where Zhang led on points but was overtaken due to fatigue.

Wilder, 38, has a record of 43 wins, three losses, and one draw, with 42 knockouts, and is currently ranked 22nd by BOXREC in the heavyweight class. Standing at 201 cm with a reach of 211 cm, Wilder successfully defended his WBC title ten times. However, his most notable victory was against the aging Luis Ortiz (34-3, 29 KOs), and his competition quality has been criticized. Wilder suffered back-to-back TKO/KO losses to Tyson Fury in 2020 and 2021, impacting his confidence. Since then, he has fought sparingly, essentially in a semi-retired state. In 2022, Wilder had only one fight, stopping Robert Helenius in one round. In 2023, he lost decisively to Parker. Comparing their performances against Parker, Wilder was thoroughly outclassed. If he loses to Zhang, retirement should be seriously considered.