Former two-time unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua 26-3 (23) is open to the idea of a fight against Zhilei Zhang 26-1-1 (25), according to his promoter.
The 33-year-old Brit has rebounded with a brace of victories this year following his back-to-back points losses to reigning WBA, WBO and IBF heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk 21-0 (14).
Chinese southpaw Zhang, 40, has emerged as a legit heavyweight contender following a close disputed decision loss to Filip Hrgovic 16-0 (13) last year and a pair of knockout wins over Joe ‘Juggernaut’ Joyce 15-2 (14) in the past six months.
Zhang immediately called for a shot at WBC champion Tyson Fury 33-0-1 (24) following his third-round knockout of Joyce in London on Saturday, but with the 36-year-old Brit scheduled to face boxing debutant and former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou in a 10-round non-title fight in Saudi Arabia on October 28, it is unlikely to happen any time soon.
Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn said it was obvious Joyce would come undone against Zhang.
“I said to you that he’d [Joyce] get stopped inside six rounds. Joe Joyce is a great guy. He’s 38, he’s taken a huge amount of punishment in sparring and in fights, and his greatest asset was his ability to take punches and walk through them. He can’t do it anymore,” Hearn said to iFL TV.
The Matchroom Boxing boss says a fight between Joshua and Zhang would be a natural given the history they have.
“AJ’s always fancied that fight,” Hearn said. “He beat him in the amateurs. It was a good fight [at the 2012 London Olympics].”
Hearn wolud need to work with his promotional rival Frank Warren to get the fight done, but he says he doesn’t think that is an insurmountable hurdle if both side negotiate in good faith.
Taking the fight to China could be an option.
“Yeah, of course. Money talks,” said Hearn. “We’ll talk about that fight, no problem. We want to make the [Deontay] Wilder fight. Zhang’s an easy [fight for Joshua]. It’s still dangerous, but why not?
“Zhilei Zhang is a good fighter. He’s not an elite heavyweight, in my opinion, but he’s a world-class heavyweight. When I say ‘elite,’ I’m talking, like top three, four, or five in the division… I think there’s an argument he could creep into number five, but he’s a lovely man.”
Hearn criticised Joyce for coming in 25-pounds heavier for the rematch, a ploy that was supposed to offset Zhang’s naturally bigger body. It didn’t work.
“I saw the fight,” Hearn said. “We watched it. You can’t come in two stone nearly heavier than the last fight if you’re just going to be a punching bag and that’s what he was tonight. He was a punching bag.
“He wasn’t in the fight at any moment. He was getting pinged left, right and center and it was a horrific knockout. I think his punch resistance is not what it was. That’s why I thought he’d win the first fight, but I said to you in the interview, he’ll get stopped within six rounds. He’s not the same fighter.”
Hearn ruled out a fight between Joshua and Joyce while offering some free advice to the defeated boxer.
“No, that would be dangerous,” said Hearn. “[Joyce] shouldn’t be boxing. He’s had a great career and he should have been Olympic champion [in 2016]. He’s won the [WBO] interim world heavyweight [title], so I’m sure he’s made a lot of money as well.
“People around him will know. You can’t get hit. AJ punches as hard as Zhang with much more speed. It’s not so right fight to make. You have to protect these guys.
“It’s a car crash, that fight, a car crash. Zhang is quite ponderous and quite slow but a good southpaw who can bang a little bit. AJ punches as hard with speed.
“Joe doesn’t need that fight. He’s had a great career and let him enjoy his life. He can’t keep going in and taking punishment.”
