Deontay Wilder Excited To Trade Leather With Zhilei Zhang!
Former WBC heavyweight champion Deontay “The Bronze Bomber” Wilder (43-3-1, 42 KOs) is just days away from his moment of truth on June 1 against Zhilei “Big Bang” Zhang (26-2-1, 21 KOs) at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Wilder says the passion is back in the belly and he expects to win spectacularly.
Many in the boxing community question what Wilder has left in the tank. The last time he was in the ring, he was dominated during a decision loss to Joseph Parker in December 2023.
In that outing, The Bronze Bomber looked listless and lacked the normal aggression and thirst for fistic violence. Upon reflection, he summed up that performance on two factors. One was inactivity. The Parker fight was his first fight following a year-long layoff. Secondly, Wilder has admitted that he’d lost his hunger. He was at peace and content with what he had accomplished.
REGAINING THE FIRE
During an exclusive interview with Matchroom Boxing, the former WBC champion said the Parker fight was a reality check and has given him a renewed sense of purpose. He’s been in the gym since that fight, working harder than ever. As he explained, the violent and wild fighter has returned.
“When you see a peaceful Wilder in the ring, he’s not that exciting. To be around a culture of people that love to see that aggressiveness of me, that love to see me talk so strongly about certain things – my flame is ignited . . . It just makes me more excited, more hungry to do what I got to do and get back to the titles.”
READY TO MAKE A STATEMENT
He’s going to need that hunger to overcome Zhang. Big Bang is a massive heavyweight who’s a durable, sturdy southpaw with an excellent right hand and power in both hands. Despite the suspicion and doubt, The Bronze Bomber remains one of the most lethal punchers to lace on a pair of gloves. He can end a fight with one shot and forecasts fireworks on June 1.
“It’s going to be two powerhouses in there trying to knock each other out. This is not a fight I think is going to go to rounds. Somebody is going to get knocked out, and that’s what I love to be involved in.
[…] For me, not only do I like to knock you out, but I want your body to do something crazy while it’s on the canvas. That’s my excitement.
I don’t just want to see you get sparked out. I want to see your body go into seizures. I want to see your tongue in the back of your mouth. I want to see your eyes roll into the back of your head like you’re having great sex . . . So, it’s going to be an interesting fight while it lasts.”
Wilder is someone who wants to become a unified champion. Step one begins with taking care of business on June 1.
