On June 1, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, a combat will happen between American Deontay Wilder (43-3-1, 42 KOs) and Chinese language Zhang Zhilei (26-2-1, 21 KOs).
Wilder – Zhilei: bookmaker odds
The chances of Deontay Wilder and Zhang Zhilei successful, in keeping with bookmakers, appear to be this:
- Zhileya win – 1.75
- Wilder victory – 2.15
Deontay Wilder
After a collection of fights in opposition to Tyson Fury, we have now not but seen the previous Deontay Wilder. The final a part of the trilogy came regarding once more in 2021, and the American remains to be recovering.
Deontay hasn’t boxed a lot. Contemplating that he’s already 38, exercise annually doesn’t appear to be the best choice. However, Wilder is simply a yr older than Usik, however Alexander’s downtime didn’t stop him from changing into an absolute.
Deontay’s drawback is completely different. His major ability is the power to catch his opponent’s head at any time. Even Fury fell 5 instances in 3 fights in opposition to him. Nonetheless, this ability can be misplaced if not consistently used.
After shedding fights 2 and three in opposition to Fury, Wilder returned solely a yr later – knocking out Robert Helenius within the first spherical. After which I didn’t field for a yr once more. That’s, in actual fact, the downtime was virtually two years with a break for a coaching camp and fewer than three minutes of battle. The return following Helenius turned out to be toothless. Joseph Parker chased the American across the ring, however he by no means discovered the will to catch his opponent – he hardly hit him and misplaced by resolution of the judges.
Now Deontay faces a decisive combat in opposition to an opponent who was additionally defeated by Parker. Wilder himself says that defeat might be the ultimate contact in his profession, so he solely goes following victory.
Zhang Zhilei
Having overwhelmed Joe Joyce twice forward of schedule, the Chinese language turned issues round within the heavyweight division, as a result of earlier than these conferences it was the Briton who was referred to as the primary candidate for Usik and Fury. Zhilei proved that his punching energy was sufficient to even put a boxer like Joe to sleep.
With the WBO interim champion belt, Zhang may even later qualify for a combat in opposition to absolutely the world champion, however within the meantime he met with Joseph Parker. And though the New Zealander was knocked down twice, the amount and high quality of Parker’s assaults had been sufficient to win.
For 41-year-old Zhilei, the combat in opposition to Wilder can be one of many final, if not the final likelihood in his profession. Not like Wilder, the Chinese language by no means stated he may retire because of defeat. Nonetheless, it’s clear that the winner will obtain at the least yet one more high-profile cash combat, and the loser will fall once more considerably within the scores.
Attention-grabbing information earlier than the combat Deontay Wilder – Zhang Zhilei
– Zhilei is essentially the most highly effective puncher in Wilder’s profession over the previous 5 years. Zhang has greater than 80% early wins. Among the many final opponents, solely Luis Ortiz had extra – greater than 85%. After defeating the Cuban, Deontay boxed with Fury, Helenius and Parker. For the primary, this share is barely greater than 70, for the second and third – regarding 65.
The identical determine for the American is 97.67%.
– On the closing weigh-in, Wilder confirmed 97.3 kg. Towards Parker he weighed 96.6 kg, in opposition to Helenius 97.2 kg. As much as 100 kilograms is objectively the perfect weight for Deontay’s velocity and explosiveness.
Zhilei confirmed 128.3 kg. That is the heaviest opponent within the American’s profession since 2010, when Wilder beat Dustin Nichols, who weighed 180.5 kg, in a single spherical.
Forecast for the combat Deontay Wilder – Zhang Zhilei with odds from the bookmaker Favbet
The combat really appears like an awesome stylistic matchup if each are as much as it. This isn’t Usik – Fury with cool speeds, adjustments in methods and sensible boxing, however in its personal approach the assembly between Wilder and Zhilei remains to be good.
Zhang is the favourite and that is sensible. Wilder hasn’t been shocking currently. The truth is, following two defeats to Fury, there was not a single combat that left followers screaming in fascination that he was once more. Even considering the combat in opposition to Helenius, a knockout was anticipated right here.
Zhilei is a harmful boxer. He hits laborious with each arms, the blows fly fairly rapidly and are undoubtedly laborious. The second knockdown in opposition to Parker is completely fantastic – a brief left one in the direction of when the opponent leaned over. You needed to see it, really feel it and get there. At 41 years previous and at this weight, Zhang exhibits that the quantity on the size is only a quantity. The principle factor is how you employ them.
On the identical time, Zhilei stands nonetheless for a very long time. His job is to use easy, methodical stress whereas attempting to catch his opponent with fast, heavy strikes. As well as, Zhang is left-handed, which suggests he’s extra open to Wilder’s proper hand. Though the state of affairs right here is reversed.
Deontay loves opponents who stand for a very long time or should not cell on their ft. Parker provided affordable stress, a cushty distance with fast method, and took benefit of the American’s ethical toothlessness. Fury was just too large and agile. Zhilei can’t present any of this in his footwork, so the potential for nonetheless lacking from the American will at all times stay. Because of this if you wish to take a threat, you’ll be able to guess on Wilder to win – for two.18. ratio for somebody who can flip anybody off.
Nonetheless, there’s a extra dependable choice. Each boxers maintain up effectively, however they’ll fall. Wilder is a boxer with character who will get up and retains preventing till he is fully down. Zhilei missed closely from Parker a number of instances. The identical blows from Wilder may fully shake the Chinese language.
It seems that we have now two boxers with a heavy punch, fairly comfy for one another stylistically and on the identical time not with a strengthened concrete head.
On this case, the coefficient for complete knockdowns is bigger than (1.5) – 2.25.
