Stage is set for explosive bout

The "Bronze Bomber" is primed, but will he be blown up by the "Big Bang"?

Drawing tons of confidence from his "hell-like" training camp China's heavyweight boxer Zhang Zhilei has vowed to knock Deontay Wilder's lights out once and for all, and to retire the returning American slugger when they square off against each other in Saudi Arabia on Saturday.

Zhang, who goes by ring moniker "Big Bang", so-called for the explosive power in his punches, is due to face Wilder, a former WBC heavyweight titleholder of the United States, in a compelling clash of titans as part of the highly anticipated Queensberry versus Matchroom five-on-five event at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh.

Both esteemed fighters, and widely recognized as the heaviest punchers in the division, Zhang and Wilder are embracing the Saturday bout as a career-turning match-up, where the winner is expected to earn his place back in the top echelon, and perhaps a world title shot in the near future. The loser, however, will most likely fade away into the twilight of his career.

As the division's oldest active title contender, Zhang, who just turned 41 on May 2, is licking his wounds from a controversial decision loss to New Zealand's Joseph Parker — ranked third in the world by The Ring — in March, and is dying for a statement performance to justify his title credentials.

Wilder, a 38-year-old Alabama native, is also fighting for redemption after losing to the same opponent via unanimous decision in his last bout in December, and has hinted that a defeat to Zhang would end his storied career, highlighted by a five-year reign of the WBC's top division from 2015-20.

Despite facing a dangerous and motivated former champ, Zhang has pledged to prove that he's next in line for a world title challenge by destroying the "Bronze Bomber", Wilder's nickname, and putting an abrupt stop to his attempt to return to the top table.

"I know he's going all out because he wants to prove himself again, so do I," Zhang, a former Olympic silver medalist, said before an open practice in Riyadh on Wednesday.

"He's still the Wilder that I watched all those years ago. I believe he's still dangerous. He still has a powerful right hand that could land and finish everything. But, I am dangerous too and I also punch really hard.

"This fight is going to be exciting. Don't be surprised if this fight ends in one or two rounds," said Zhang, who promised that he's learned and improved from his disappointing bout against Parker.

"Every practice of the pre-fight training camp was hell. I've learned my lesson from the last fight and I've come back from hell again to become more dangerous.

"What happens when the bomber meets the big bang? Stay tuned for that!"

Standing 1.98 meters tall with an intimidating bulk that, this week, weighed in at 134kg, the Chinese southpaw, who keeps a career record of 26-2-1 with 21 KOs, wields exceptional power and technique in his one-two combination, and absorbs blows with his mountain-like physique.

After building his name in the amateur ring and winning an Olympic silver medal (+91kg) at his home Games in 2008, Zhang decided to turn pro in 2014, and has since progressed into a rare Asian heavyweight success, underlined by two straight stoppage wins over Britain's former world champ Joe Joyce last year.

As the most feared puncher in his prime, Wilder (43-3-1, 42 KOs), who is four centimeters taller than Zhang, but seems lighter now, reigned supreme for five years in the WBC's heavyweight class after he first wrested the belt from Canada's Bermane Stiverne via unanimous decision in January 2015.

In February 2020, he lost the belt by a TKO to Britain's Tyson Fury, who was outscored by Ukraine's Oleksandr Usyk (WBO, WBA and IBF) in a blockbuster unification bout last month, also in Riyadh.

Wilder says that he has adopted a new-found discipline in a bid to redirect his career, having admitted to losing his passion and love for the sport amid a taxing few years, which included his epic trilogy against Fury.

"It's going to be a different fight this time around. And, if it's not, then retirement is highly considerable (for me). I like the pressure from a must-win fight, because, when you're under pressure, it brings the best out of you," said Wilder, who will enter the bout against Zhang as an underdog in The Ring's pre-fight predication.

Among 20 experts and insiders invited by the renowned magazine, 12 have picked Zhang as the winner, with the majority of them expecting the bout to end with a KO or TKO from Zhang.

Asked how he ranks himself among the division's top boxers, Zhang drips with confidence.

"I don't think Tyson Fury is a naturally heavy puncher to be honest. His punching power is there, but is not that powerful," he said.

"If you compare my opponents, and my knockouts, you saw what happened to them.

"Their eyes rolled and their lights went out. So I am confident I can shut the lights out on Wilder."

sunxiaochen@chinadaily.com.cn