Talk about a fight that absolutely is must-win, for both men. Deontay Wilder Vs. Zhilei Zhang is also, the superb light heavyweight matchup that is Artur Beterbiev against Dmitry Bivol aside, the highlight of the recently announced 5 Vs. 5 card set for June 1 in Saudi Arabia. Two big men, two big punchers, each coming off a loss to the same man and feeling pretty bad about it.
Wilder especially, is “ashamed” of his showing against common opponent Joseph Parker, this according to his trainer, Malik Scott, who shares the shame with his fighter. Scott, who spoke with the media after yesterday’s big presser to announce the June 1 card, said Wilder will use this shame to motivate himself, adding how Wilder must put on a performance that is “very artistic and violent.”
If he shows up as the Wilder of old, as the man who dropped every single man he faced, Zhang will be “knocked cold,” Scott said as filmed by Seconds Out.
“Wilder is who he is. He’s a very violent man,” Scott said. “Not just in the ring. If he’s not in the ring, he’s shooting guns, if he’s not shooting guns he’s handling business very aggressively….that’s just who he is. But I know tons of killers also who had a bad night in the office concerning boxing. Because it’s controlled chaos whatever way you want to look at it; you’re going to have to use your mind if you really want to be surgical and knock somebody out cold.
“And Joseph Parker and Andy Lee had an incredible game plan, they did just enough to win the rounds. And Deontay was not able to pull the trigger; I’ve seen it happen to the best. But I believe, being ashamed of that performance – and this goes for me too, that’s a performance I’m ashamed of – if he now goes in and is the Deontay Wilder I’m always bragging about to you guys, you’re gonna see Zhang fall and it’s gonna be a beautiful thing…very artistic and violent. ‘Cos Zhang is a pop tart when he gets fatigued, he just is. He falls apart, he’s really scared. He almost would do anything not to get tired. He just doesn’t like getting into a vulnerable position when he’s tired. Our job is to take him into darkness. I believe Deontay is a much more tougher man. Zhang is big and he’s dangerous, but I also know what my guy possesses. And when he wants to, he can knock you out off the back foot. We have to go in June 1st and knock Zhang out cold.”
It really would be quite the “I’m back” statement from Wilder, 43-3-1(42) if he was able to knock Zhang clean out. But is Wilder out of bullets? Did the 38 year old really just have a “bad night” against Parker, or is he done? We simply do not know, and Wilder deserves a huge amount of credit for agreeing to go in and find out for himself against such a dangerous opponent in Zhang; who also deserves nothing but credit for taking this fight.
Will 40 year old Zhang, 26-2-1(21) get tired and fall apart in the fight? Will Wilder let his hands go with severe bad intentions in this fight, the way he used to do? It seems someone will fall, and it seems this one will be extremely violent. If both men show up, that is. Who has more weaponry, who has more armour? Who has the better chin and gas tank?
Who has more to lose with a defeat? Wilder and Zhang both know they have to leave it all in the ring in this fight.
