In a thrilling night of boxing at the Copper Box Arena in London, two-time Olympian Zhilei Zhang (25-1-1, 20 KOs) faced the unbeaten interim WBO heavyweight champion Joe Joyce (15-1, 14 KOs).
Eventually, Zhang’s powerful left-hand shots took a toll on Joyce, resulting in his right eye swelling shut and forcing a halt to the fight in the sixth round. This remarkable victory for Zhang further solidified his place in the boxing world, while dealing a significant blow to Joyce’s unblemished record.
In the co-main event, Mikaela Mayer (18-1, 5 KOs) overcame Lucy Wildheart (10-2, 4 KOs) in a competitive ten-round unanimous decision capturing the vacant WBC interim world lightweight title. Mayer struggled with Wildheart’s powerful right hands in the early rounds, but capitalized on her opponent’s fading energy in the latter half of the fight with high-volume punching. Despite the victory, Mayer’s performance raised concerns about her defensive skills, leading to doubts about her readiness to face Katie Taylor.
The undercard bouts were equally engaging, as the heavyweight prospect Moses Itauma (3-0, 2 KOs) defeated Kostiantyne Dovbyshchenko (9-13-1, 6 KOs) in a six-round points decision, showcasing his impressive power and potential. Also, Commonwealth lightweight champion Sam Noakes (11-0, 11 KOs) crushed Karthik Sarthis Kumar (10-1, 4 KOs) with a second-round knockout. Finally, British middleweight champion Denzel Bentley (18-2-1, 15 KOs) made quick work of Kieran Smith (18-2, 7 KOs), securing victory in the first round with a powerful combination that left Smith unable to continue.
Image Credit: Sky Sports