Anthony Joshua's next opponent? Zhilei Zhang being considered to fight former heavyweight champion
Chinese heavyweight Zhilei Zhang holds the WBO Interim title after two consecutive knockout victories over Joe Joyce; Zhang is under consideration for a potential fight with Anthony Joshua in March; Joshua beat him at the London 2012 Olympic Games but Zhang now wants his revenge
Tuesday 2 January 2024 17:28, UK
Zhilei Zhang is being considered as a potential opponent for Anthony Joshua’s next fight in March.
Joshua was aiming to box Deontay Wilder. But after Joseph Parker upset the American last month, Joshua was left looking for alternative opponents.
Other possible options as well as Zhang reportedly include former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou and Filip Hrgovic, the mandatory challenger for the IBF title.
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China's Zhang currently holds a WBO Interim title after he defeated British contender Joe Joyce.
In 2023 Zhang boxed Joyce twice, halting him on both occasions.
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The hard-punching Chinese southpaw is now 40 years old and won a silver medal at the Olympic Games back in 2008.
He boxed Joshua in the amateurs, losing to him in the 2012 Olympics in London.
On his Instagram account Zhang wrote: "I lost to a better man 11 years ago in the Olympics. I'm happy we have both come a long way, gone through ups and downs in life.
"Now it's time to do this for the sport of boxing and give it to the fans around the world. Let's get it on!"
Joshua lost his unified world championship to Oleksandr Usyk and could not beat the Ukrainian in a 2022 rematch. But he has rebuilt from those two defeats, racking up three wins over the course of 2023.
Most recently he hammered Otto Wallin in impressive style and the former titlist is readying to make a return to championship class.
Tyson Fury, who holds the WBC belt, would be a major British fight for Joshua. But Fury's promoter Frank Warren previously told Sky Sports Joshua would "have a long wait" for him.
"Tyson's got his fight and his programme's set out for [the] year and at this moment in time doesn't include Joshua," Warren said.
Fury fights Usyk for the undisputed title on February 17 and the two are widely expected to have a rematch later in 2024 as well.
