Zhilei Zhang believes he puts fear in Deontay Wilder in their fight this Saturday night on Matchroom vs. Queensberry ‘5 vs. 5’event in Riyadh.
It could be that Zhang (26-2-1, 21 KOs) is right about former WBC heavyweight champion Wilder (43-3-1, 42 KOs) feeling fear because he’s been talking a lot about retiring if he loses, and some fans believe he’s already mentally checked out.
Wilder’s Retirement Talk = Red Flag
Wilder wouldn’t be talking about retirement if he didn’t have serious self-doubts about his ability to win. It’s understandable why Wilder, 38, would be questioning himself because he’s coming off a poor showing in his loss to Joseph Parker last December, and he was beaten a couple of times by Tyson Fury.
Wilder sounded a lot more confident before his career bottomed out, but he’s not been the same fighter since his loss to Fury in their second fighit.
“Where is the fear? I don’t feel it. I think I put fear in him,” said Zhilei Zhang to Charlo Parson’s YouTube channel about Deontay Wilder.
A Do-or-Die Fight for Both Fighters
“I think we’re both well-prepared in this fight because it’s do-or-die. We have to make this happen. We have to go through each other, and we have to win this fight in order to continue our professional careers.
“I don’t look at it like a risk because I love to challenge. I love to stand up against the tough guys. I’ve got a lot of respect for Deontay Wilder. So, to share the ring is a good thing. I enjoy this moment.
“Yes, he still has it. I prepared my training camp like he still has it, and we’ll see if he still has it. I was very well-trained and prepared for this fight. I will be able to adapt. I never think about what would happen if I lose. I only think about victory,” said Zhang.
