Zhilei Zhang, the giant Chinese heavyweight who recently beat Joe Joyce, has predicted the outcome of Artur Beterbiev & Dmitry Bivol.
Zhang is set to face off on the Anthony Joshua vs Francis Ngannou undercard against Joseph Parker. Parker, in turn recently scored a big points win over the division’s heaviest puncher Deontay Wilder.
One of the dreams of boxing fans over the last few years has been to see Beterbiev and Bivol go head to head. Now, after several obstacles were overcome, they are finally going to meet in a fight that will leave no questions as to who is the best 175lber.
“Beterbiev Will Knockout Bivol” Says Zhang
Zhilei Zhang spoke to BoxingScene to give his thoughts on the fight between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol:
“It’s a great fight” he admitted. Zhang stated that he had been following the careers of both fighters. “They are both great fighters, but Beterbiev will hurt him and he will probably finish the fight with a knockout”.
Perfect KO Ratio
Beterbiev has an impressive 20-0 record, with all of his wins coming by way of knockout. Most recently, the Russian secured a victory against Callum Smith with a TKO in the seventh round. There were some doubts about his recent jaw surgery, following a fracture with many intrigued to se how well Beterbiev had recovered from it. The devastating puncher returned to the ring though and showed now signs of weakness.
Bivol meanwhile, is not a heavy puncher. The WBA champion possesses a unique ability to maintain the pace and distance. Bivol can be found constantly moving in and out of range and has a seemingly solid defense. Bivol was last seen picking up a one sided win in Riyadh against Britain’s Lyndon Arthur in the Day Of Reckoning.
Despite a long layoff, Dmitry Bivol looked solid once more and proved a level above Lyndon Arthur. Bivol landed a knockdown in the eleventh round, but Arthur was able to make it to the final bell. The official scorecards declared a unanimous decision victory for Bivol (120-107, x3).
Bivol the Underdog
Bivol’s biggest win in the eyes of the public could be considered to be that against Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez. Canelo, who moved up in weight to face Bivol, was unable to claim the crown from the durable Russian. Bivol won the contest unanimously on points (115-113, x3).
“I think Beterbiev’s power will surpass Bivol’s footwork and skills. I think Beterbiev is too strong,” said Zhilei Zhang.
The light heavyweight unification fight between lineal and three-belt champion Artur Beterbiev and WBA champion Dmitry Bivol is planned for June 1, and will be held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. That is according to sources such as Dan Rafael, an often informed boxing reporter.
Zhang Vs Parker Could be the Fight of the Night
The fight between Zhilei Zhang and Joseph Parker is scheduled for March 8, 2024 at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The fight will be for the WBO world (interim) heavyweight title and will consist of 12 rounds.
The Zhang-Parker fight is expected by some fans to be the fight of the night. Zhang is one of the most feared heavyweights, and Joseph Parker’s acceptance of the bout seems to show that he is not afraid of any heavyweight contender. Parker has been Tyson Fury’s sparring partner for several fights, so he is a fighter who is used to boxing at a very high level. Against a much bigger man.
The winner of this fight could go on to face the winner of Joshua Vs Ngannou or Fury vs Usyk in the future. So it’s an all or nothing fight for both men. The winner, has the world at his feet. The loser, well, it’s back to the drawing board and a shot at heavyweight gold will dwindle further into the distance. Joseph Parker will be hoping that age is on his size but having seen what Zhang did to Joe Joyce, a man who beat Parker, he will know the threat that ‘Big Bang’ brings.
Featured image credits to Embed from Getty Images
