Zhilei Zhang says he wants red-hot Joseph Parker next if he can’t land Anthony Joshua, following the New Zealander’s upset of former WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder last Saturday night in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
WBO interim heavyweight champion Zhang (26-1-1, 21 KOs) feels that a fight between him and Parker (34-3, 23 KOs) would be an excellent fight at this time.
Joshua is the one Zhang wants, but he feels former WBO champion Parker would be a great alternative.
The Saudis could be the ones to decide if they want Zhang to be Parker’s next opponent, since Joseph is popular there. If they think Parker can date Zhang, they will accept the idea.
Beating the thin, inactive and shy 213-pound Wilder is a different situation than Parker trying to do the same against the powerful, fearless and ultra-aggressive 270-plus-pound Zhang. That could end in a repeat of Parker’s loss to Joe Joyce last year.
Parker’s red-hot stardom
Parker defeated Wilder by unanimous decision over twelve rounds with scores 118-111, 118-110 and 120-108. He wasn’t even remotely close, as Parker outboxed and punched ‘The Bronze Bomber’ Wilder and hurt him in the eighth round.
If Parker had pushed a little harder in that round, he probably could have knocked out Wilder. He was very close to being arrested.
After the fight, Parker doesn’t mention anyone he wants, but it’s obvious he hopes Joshua will bless him by giving him a rematch. AJ defeated him in 2018 by unanimous unanimous decision in twelve rounds.
Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn said he wants him to fight IBF number one Filip Hrgovic for the belt once it becomes vacant. That leaves Parker and Zhang without dance partners, and it would be perfect if they could organize a fight.
“[Joseph] Parker could be a good option. Right now, he’s hot and everyone’s looking at him like, ‘Wow, he’s really good,’ and he recently won a couple of fights,” Zhilei Zhang told Fight Hub TV about his interest in facing Joseph Parker after his upset victory over Deontay Wilder last Saturday night in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
“So if I can’t get any of these guys, Joseph Parker would be a good option. You never know. Styles create fights,” Zhang said.
Parker would be a great option for Zhang if he can’t get any of the popular heavyweights like Joshua to fight him. Zhang could scare away all the good fighters in the division after his consecutive knockout victories over Joe Joyce.
