Heavyweight contender Zhilei ‘Big Bang’ Zhang 27-2-1 (22) says he learnt more from his disputed points loss to Filip Hrgovic 17-1 (14) two years ago than any other bout.
The 41-year-old Chinese southpaw was back in action on Saturday night when he scored a vicious fifth-round knockout of ex-WBC king Deontay Wilder 43-4-1 (42) at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Back in August 2022, the then-undefeated Zhang took on Hrgovic at Jeddah Superdome in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Many observers felt that Zhang, who had Hrgovic on the canvas in the opening round, had done enough to win the contest but the bout was awarded to the Croatian by scores of 115-112, 115-112 and 114-113.
“The Hrgovic fight,” Zhang said to BoxNation. “I believe, and I tell everybody that I lost the fight on paper, but I believe I won the fight. It’s on my record. I learned from the fight and I came back stronger.
“Ever since the Hrgovic fight, I took a big step forward. I learned and I improved. After the Parker fight, I learned and I improved. Whenever something is frustrating I make myself stronger and this is how I behave outside and inside the ring as well.”
Zhang had too much firepower for Wilder on the weekend. The 38-year-old American was hurt as early as the second round and Zhang was not going to let him off the hook.
“Everything happened in the second round. I landed a big shot on him in the second round. I saw his eyes were not focused. So I knew I landed my big shot in the second round.
“I did the same thing in the third round. So I knew I hurt him and I did it again in the fourth.
“By the time I caught him with a right hook [in round five], he was disoriented, and that’s why he’s turning around. I changed up and finished my job.
“It’s not that Wilder wants to move in a certain direction. It’s me putting him in that direction because when I know when he’s moving to my left-hand side, which is his right-hand side, he was looking to counter my straight left. He was looking to punch with me or counter my straight left, but I didn’t allow him to do that. I cut him off and forced him to go the other way.”
Even though Wilder struggled to pull the trigger, Zhang said he still felt the power of his shots.
“Let me tell you, he still has the power,” he said. “The first couple of rounds, he threw some big bombs, some big right hands. I was able to catch them, but I felt the power in my gloves.
“In the fifth round, he landed two right hands. One of them on the top of my forehead. I felt it.”