Heavyweight Zhilei Zhang reveals that negotiations have begun between him and former WBO champion Joseph Parker for a rematch.
It’s a dangerous battle for Zhang as a result of Parker will probably field and transfer all evening to keep away from exchanges till the second half of the competition when the large Chinese language knockout artist is just too exhausted to throw.
Zhang’s Earlier Efficiency
Zhang (27-2-1, 22 KOs) says he’s open to the battle any time earlier than the tip of the yr. He simply desires the chance to avenge his twelve-round majority determination defeat he suffered in opposition to Parker (35-3, 23 KOs) final March.
That was a tricky battle for the two-time Olympian Zhang to lose as a result of he’d dropped Parker twice early on, and he seemed like he was on his strategy to a simple win. Nevertheless, Zhang gassed out, and Parker might play it protected, field, and transfer to win a twelve-round determination.
Parker will exploit Zhang’s poor fuel tank within the rematch except he fixes it, which is unlikely at 40. To win, Zhang might want to get to Parker early earlier than he fades, and that’s not going to be straightforward as a result of his coach, Andy Lee, has him preventing cautiously.
Parker has modified his model from a slugger to a boxer-puncher, largely a boxer. He’s not entertaining to look at, however his model is efficient in opposition to his restricted opposition in his final 5 fights. Even with Parker’s play-it-safe model, Zhang would have knocked him out if his stamina had been higher. An in-shape Zhang would have made straightforward work of Parker, who was timid by way of a lot of the battle.
The Want for Weight Administration
Zhang must shed pounds for this battle as a result of he was too heavy at 291 lbs for the Parker conflict, and he couldn’t keep his early momentum after the fifth. He ought to have identified he was carrying an excessive amount of weight to battle a artful defensive fighter like Parker after watching how he’d fought in opposition to Deontay Wilder in his earlier battle final December.
