Zhilei Zhang Takes Aim at Anthony Joshua and Threatens to Knock Out Oleksandr Usyk

Chinese heavyweight boxer Zhilei Zhang has launched a scathing attack on rivals Anthony Joshua and Oleksandr Usyk

Zhilei Zhang, the current No. 1 ranked heavyweight in the WBO, has not held back in his criticism of fellow boxers Anthony Joshua and Oleksandr Usyk. Zhang has boldly claimed that he would knock out Usyk early if they were to face each other in the ring.

"Unproven" Usyk and "Declining" Joshua

Zhang has dismissed Usyk as "unproven" and believes that his rise to the top was facilitated by fighting a "declining" Joshua. However, Zhang did acknowledge the difficulty of earning titles in the sport of boxing.

Speaking to ProBoxTV, Zhang stated, "When he fought Joshua, Joshua was on the decline, so I won't think he is proven one way or another. He has three belts, and that's not something easy to do. So if we share the ring, he is going to sleep early."

Mandatory Challenger for the WBO Title

As the mandatory challenger to Usyk's WBO title, Zhang is determined to secure a fight against him. He believes that such a high-level sporting event would not only benefit him personally but also bring pride to China.

Zhang said, "China needs this fight. It is beyond myself, the whole country needs a high-level sporting event, a professional boxing event like this. It [would] boost up the country's pride, and China is going to love it [if he could fight in China]."

Calling Out Anthony Joshua

Zhang recently scored back-to-back wins over Joe Joyce in England and has now set his sights on a fight against Anthony Joshua. He has even proposed a showdown in China, with a potential audience of 100,000 people at the Bird's Nest in Beijing.