Heavyweight contender Zhilei Zhang firmly believes that his old amateur rival Anthony Joshua has been avoiding him for years and will continue to do so in the future. Despite frequent discussions of a potential bout in China when both fighters were under Eddie Hearn’s promotion and Joshua held versions of the heavyweight title, the matchup never materialized.
Zhang’s reputation has grown significantly since those days. He has secured great victories, including two wins over Joe Joyce and a knockout of Deontay Wilder at the June ‘5 v 5’ event, where Zhang represented Queensberry while Wilder was with Matchroom. Zhang insinuates that Joshua has never been interested in facing him and won’t consider it moving forward.
”Mark my words, he’s not fighting me. He’s not going to fight me, ever,” Zhang stated on The MMA Hour*. He reflected on their initial encounter at the 2012 Olympic Games and the years that followed. “After that, it’s been so many years. I was with Matchroom, and I know what happened. I don’t think he’s ever going to fight me.”
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Recently, Joshua fought former UFC world champion Francis Ngannou in a professional boxing match, ending the bout with a second-round knockout. Zhang argues that Joshua’s choice of opponents, including Ngannou and Robert Helenius, indicates a preference for easier fights rather than facing him, a formidable 280-pound southpaw.
“My managers flew to London, and I got words. So, I don’t think he’s going to fight me. Look at his previous opponents – Francis Ngannou from the UFC, Robert Helenius, I don’t think he has what it takes to stand up to me. The way he picks his opponents says a lot about him.”
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